Northern San Juan

Most slopes are generally safe from avalanches in the morning, but start and end your day early. Pick another line if you find drifts around 6 inches deep or see cracking in the snow surface. Look for these on high-elevation easterly-facing slopes. Later in the day, low-elevation snow-covered slopes may become wet and unsupportive. Plan your exit timing so you can travel on still-supportive snow surfaces.

Even small avalanches in complex or extreme terrain can knock you off your feet and send you on a dangerous ride in places like steep couloirs, hanging snow fields, or steep faces with cliffs. On Friday, A small avalanche swept a skier off their feet, injuring them as they flushed through complicated terrain.