Southern San Juan

Strong winds have drifted new at upper elevations. You could trigger a more dangerous avalanche where slabs form on steep slopes above a firm, slippery sliding surface or on slopes with more than about 8 inches of drifted snow. New snow drifts will be deepest on cross-loaded slopes that face northerly and easterly.

Adjust your travels if you see cracking in freshly drifted snow or if the snow surface goes from soft to stiff. Small, isolated avalanches can lead to an unfortunate outcome in steep, consequential terrain.