Northern San Juan

The most dangerous slopes are near and above the treeline, where you find cohesive, wind-drifted slabs around a foot thick. Avalanches which you trigger in a surface layer could break into deeper layers near the ground, creating a more dangerous avalanche. Look for and avoid areas beneath ridgelines or cornices, and on steep sidewalls of gullies, where you find evidence of drifting such as lens-shaped pillows of snow or snow that feels hollow or drum-like below your feet or machine. If you experience cracking in the snow or see signs of recent avalanches, stick to slopes less than around 30 degrees that are sheltered from the wind, without steeper terrain directly overhead.