Northern San Juan

You can trigger an avalanche large enough to bury you which breaks in wind-drifted surface snow or on a persistent weak layer deeper in the snowpack. The most dangerous areas are northerly and easterly slopes near and above treeline, where westerly and southerly winds drifted snow into thickened slabs. Look for and avoid slopes where you see cracking, stiff surface snow, fresh cornice growth, lens-shaped pillows of snow, or sculpted features, all of which indicate more dangerous wind-drifted areas. Warm temperatures may cause surface snow on lower-elevation sunny slopes to lose cohesion, so retreat if you see roller balls of moist snow. Wind-sheltered slopes less than around 30 degrees, without steeper terrain directly overhead, offer safer options.