Southern San Juan

A fatal avalanche near Ophir late on Monday tragically illustrates the kind of dangerous avalanche you can trigger on slopes steeper than about 35 degrees.

You are more likely to trigger a wide-breaking avalanche in areas with less than about 4 feet of snow, where slabs are thinner. You can find these suspect shallow areas below cliffs, around rock outcroppings, and near ridgelines. We are receiving fewer reports of recent avalanches, cracking, and collapsing. Don't get lulled into a false sense of security if you fail to observe obvious signs of instability.