Northern San Juan

Strong winds are drifting recent snowfall into dense slabs of snow on top of a very weak snowpack. You can trigger a larger, more dangerous avalanche on northerly and east-facing slopes near and above treeline that retained early-season snow. Avalanches have the potential to grow bigger in size on slopes where you find more than about eight inches of recent snowfall. Avalanches can break wider and deeper than you expect and can be triggered from below slopes or from a distance. Below treeline, avalanches may be smaller, but can still result in a rough ride if you are carried through trees and rocks. Move to terrain around 30 degrees if you see warning signs of unstable snow like shooting cracks or audible collapses.