Northern San Juan

An increase in westerly winds will be drifting recent snowfall into stiffer slabs on leeward slopes and in cross-loaded gullies above treeline. It will be easier to trigger an avalanche on slopes around 35 degrees or steeper. Places where you find around 10 inches of wind-drifted snow should be assessed cautiously before committing – especially if the snow surface looks smooth or rounded. Adjust your travels to lower-angle slopes protected from the wind if you see cracking in the snow, or the snow surface transitions from soft to stiff. Even a small, isolated avalanche can lead to a rough ride or unfortunate outcome in the wrong terrain.

Triggering a deeper breaking avalanche has become less likely, but is still a lingering potential in shallow areas on steeper slopes. These low-probability avalanches can be consequential in more complex or extreme terrain. Shallow, trigger spots lurk near rock outcroppings, on steep rollovers, and in wind-exposed areas below ridges and cliffs.