Southern San Juan

Avoid travel on steep slopes below large, overhanging cornices. A large trigger like a falling cornice, or a deeply-trenching snowmobile might trigger an avalanche that breaks in weak snow layers three to four feet deep. The exact timing when a cornice breaks is unpredictable, so give these beasts a wide berth if traveling above them – they can break further back onto flatter terrain than you anticipate. Avalanches triggered on wind-drifted northerly and east-facing slopes could produce a wider breaking avalanche. Northerly-facing, wind-sheltered terrain offer safer travel options.

Over the next several days, recently fallen snow will continue to wet on east, south, and west-facing slopes. Saturday you can push small wet avalanches at lower elevations, especially below about 9,500 feet where the snowpack is unusually deep. The problem will creep up in elevation on Sunday. Consider the terrain below you, where a small avalanche could have big consequences. Move off steep slopes once you sink past your ankles into wet snow.

----------------------------------------------------

Friends of CAIC’s Spring Campaign Fundraiser Raising $40,000 by April 12th - Supporting Trailhead Education - donate at support.friendsofcaic.org/spring