Southern San Juan

Abundant new snow is burdening weak, collapsible snow layers making it very easy to trigger a dangerous avalanche on most steep slopes. Avalanches will be larger on northerly and easterly-facing slopes with fresh slabs two to three feet deep, or in the alpine where winds built stiffer snow layers over softer ones. Avalanches on wind-loaded slopes can break wide across terrain features, run long distances to valley floors, and step down to deeper weak layers. Make conservative terrain choices, and avoid traveling below steeper slopes or large avalanche paths as some may fail naturally from additional snow and wind-drifting.