Avalanche forecast

Northern San Juan

Colorado Avalanche Information Center
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Wed
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2
  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

Avalanche Summary

You could potentially trigger a large avalanche that breaks deeper within the snowpack on northeast and east-facing slopes. Here, previous winds formed a cohesive layer of stiff snow above weak snow, especially near treeline.  Avoid traveling near common trigger points, such as the edges of slopes where the margins of a cohesive slab are the thinnest. Give yourself a wide buffer from convex rollovers, rocky outcrops, and suspect slopes steeper than around 35 degrees. You may not experience noticeable signs of instability before triggering an avalanche

Recent northerly and westerly winds drifted snow onto leeward slopes. Small slabs of wind-drifted snow are often found below ridgelines, in concave features, and on the edges of cross-loaded gullies. Avoid steep slopes if you see cracking in recently drifted snow.

Regions covered