Southern San Juan

Watch for loose snow sluffing on steep, wind-sheltered northerly-facing slopes near and below treeline. These small, generally harmless slides could grow big enough to knock you off your feet and push you somewhere you don’t want to go. Recent north winds stiffened the snow surface on many alpine slopes, and you may encounter thin drifts above softer snow on east-facing slopes that could collapse or produce shooting cracks. Steer around areas that look smooth and pillow-like or feel hard underfoot to help reduce your avalanche risk.