Southern San Juan

The most dangerous slopes are above treeline, where you find wind drifted slabs one to two feet thick. Avalanches in deeper drifts can break wider than expected and grow large enough to bury, injure, or kill you. A slide near the surface could trigger more dangerous slides that break on weak snow layers three to four feet deep. 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 around 30 degrees that are sheltered from the wind and without steeper terrain directly overhead.