Southern San Juan

Steeper slopes with around 8 inches or more of freshly drifted snow are the most concerning. You will likely find deeper, broader drifts on northerly and easterly-facing slopes, and avalanches on those slopes will be larger. Consider an alternative route if you see cracking in the snow, or the snow surface gets stiff and hollow sounding. Evaluate the consequences of going for a ride before stepping into bigger, more complex terrain.

The threat of wet avalanches increases during the day. The combination of warm temperatures, light wind, and ample sunshine will allow the snow surface to soften and get wet on sunny slopes. Upper-elevation slopes that received the most new snow recently could produce a larger slide. Limit travel on or below steeper slopes if you see rollerballs, pinwheels, or sink past boot tops into wet, cohesionless snow.