Southern San Juan

You can trigger an avalanche where new snow and strong winds form cohesive slabs over weak layers. Avalanches will be larger on north to northeast through east slopes where winds drift snow into deeper slabs. Avalanches in the new snow could step down into buried weak layers, forming larger and more dangerous avalanches.

Avoid steep slopes where you find more than about 8 inches of new snow. Cracking in the snow surface is an obvious sign of instability and a good indication to move to lower angle terrain. You can find safer travel on slopes less than about 30 degrees.