Northern San Juan

You can trigger an avalanche on slopes facing west through north to southeast where wind-drifted snow forms a cohesive layer above weaker snow near the ground. Areas where the snow is not as deep, such as gully edges, mid-slope roll-overs, or rocky areas, are places where you can more easily impact weak layers and trigger an avalanche. You can trigger avalanches from the bottom of slopes, so give steep slopes above you a wide berth. Stick to southerly terrain or more wind-sheltered areas for safer options.