Northern San Juan

Wind-loaded slopes with weak snow layers one to two feet deep are the most concerning. Go around drifted areas on steep, rocky slopes where the snow surface looks smooth and pillow-like. Adjust your terrain selection if you see cracking in the snow, or the snow surface gets stiff and hollow sounding. A small, isolated avalanche can lead to an unfortunate outcome in the wrong terrain.

The threat of wet avalanches increases during the day. The combination of warm temperatures, light wind, and ample sunshine will allow the snow surface to soften and get wet on sunny slopes. Upper-elevation slopes that received the most new snow recently could produce a larger slide. Limit travel on or below steeper slopes if you see rollerballs, pinwheels, or sink past boot tops into wet, cohesionless snow.