Northern San Juan

Days of warm temperatures followed by a good overnight freeze reduce the potential for wet avalanches and make it more difficult to trigger an avalanche that breaks deep within the snowpack. The most dangerous areas feature stiff snow drifts at upper elevations that sit on old, weaker snow below. This snowpack structure is most worrisome lower in alpine terrain, closer to treeline. As the snow surface warms throughout the day, areas of drifted snow may become more easy to trigger. Avoid traveling on stiff drifted slopes steeper than 35 degrees.

While peak instability for wet avalanches is behind us, warm temperatures remain in the forecast. If you sink into wet snow above your boot tops, see small loose slides on sunny slopes, or the snow begins to glop onto your equipment, retreat to shady or lower-angled slopes.