Northern San Juan

You could trigger an avalanche on steep slopes at upper elevations where a cohesive slab of snow sits above older, weaker snow. You are more likely to cause an avalanche if you find the shallow spot in the slab, like near exposed rocks and on steep convex rolls.

You could also trigger an avalanche in recently wind-drifted snow above treeline. The most dangerous slopes are where new snow and westerly wind formed isolated drifts up to a foot deep on leeward slopes below ridgelines. Look for cracking in drifted snow as an indicator to move to wind-sheltered lower-angle slopes.

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