Northern San Juan

Above-freezing temperatures Monday night extend up to mountain pass elevations and will create heightened risk of natural and human-triggered wet avalanches on most slopes Tuesday, particularly at lower elevations. A poor freeze means that even an early start may not be enough to keep you off of wet, unsupportable snow, but you can expect the hazard to ramp up first at lower elevations, following the sun from east to south to west and extending into higher elevations as the day progresses. Roller balls and wet, cohesionless surfaces are signs of unstable snow. Make an exit if you see these danger signs on any slope, or if you start sinking past your ankles. 

Avoid traveling beneath large cornices, as the warm temperatures will increase the risk of dangerous cornice falls or cornice-triggered avalanches on the slopes below. Though it is becoming harder to trigger an avalanche which breaks deeply, you may still be able to trigger a large avalanche if you punch through unsupportable snow to deeper buried weak layers, and cornice falls may also be able to trigger these deeper weak layers. Stick to smooth, supportable well-frozen slopes without rocks or vegetation and without steep terrain overhead for safer choices. 

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