Northern San Juan

Until the snowpack experiences a solid refreeze, wet snow problems may linger on slopes facing east through south to west below treeline. Avoid steeper slopes where you sink past your shins into wet, cohesionless snow. Consider the terrain below you, where a small avalanche could have big consequences. To help reduce your wet snow avalanche hazard, start early and end early.

Falling cornice onto easterly-facing slopes below may trigger a larger slide that breaks several feet deep, or near the ground in weaker snow. Avoid travel below large, sagging cornices if you see blowing snow along ridgelines, fresh cornice growth, or find newly formed lens-shaped pillows of snow below them.