Southern San Juan

Thick, dangerous slabs of snow rest on top of a weak, problematic snowpack on slopes that face west through north to east at all elevations. Avalanches will be large enough to bury or injure you on slopes where you find slabs of snow deeper than about 12 inches. Place lots of room between you and any suspect terrain because you can trigger a slide from lower-angled slopes adjacent to or below avalanche paths. Below the treeline, avalanches might be smaller but can result in a rough ride if you are carried through trees or over rocks. If you notice signs of instability in the snowpack such as shooting cracks or collapsing or recent avalanches then move to slopes less than about 30 degrees in steepness or a different aspect.