Northern San Juan

You could trigger an avalanche in recently wind-drifted snow above treeline. New snow and westerly wind formed drifts on leeward slopes below ridgelines. Look for cracking in drifted snow as an indicator of instability. You might trigger an avalanche that breaks deeper in the snowpack on steep slopes at upper elevations where a cohesive slab of snow sits above older, weaker snow. You are most likely to trigger an avalanche that breaks deeper in the snowpack where the slab is thinner. Avoid common trigger points near exposed rocks, and on steep convex rolls.