Sangre de Cristo

Light snowfall on Sunday will help thicken stiff surface slabs at upper elevations. It will be easier to trigger an avalanche near ridges, on steep rollovers, and in cross-loaded gullies around 35 degrees or steeper. Go around areas with a smooth, pillow-like appearance, and continually assess how conditions are changing as new snow depths increase. If you see cracking in the snow or the snow surface transitions from soft to stiff, adjust your travels to lower-angled slopes sheltered from the wind. Even a small, isolated avalanche can lead to a rough ride in the wrong terrain.

Avalanche that break deeper in older, weak snow layers has become less likely, but still a lingering potential where the snowpack is less than about 4 feet deep. These low-probability avalanches will be more consequential if you get knocked off your feet in complex terrain or above terrain traps. Shallow places on steeper slopes near rock outcrops and in wind-exposed areas increase the step-down potential.