Southern San Juan

Northerly and east-facing slopes near and above treeline are the most dangerous. You could trigger an avalanche on steep slopes where you find eight or more inches of recently drifted snow over older snow. These problematic spots look filled-in, rounded, or pillow-shaped. They are found below ridgelines, in gullies, and on most slopes with enough snow to look enticing for riding. If you see cracking in the snow surface or hear rumbling collapses, stick to slopes around 30 degrees in steepness, or southerly-facing slopes that had thin snow coverage before the holiday storm to help reduce your avalanche risk.