2011-01-31T06:56:00-06:00 Colorado Avalanche Information Center Spencer Logan http://metlogic.net:10580/caic/msg11746.html This is only for illustration puposes 2011-01-31T06:00:00 2011-02-01T06:00:00 http://www.caic.com/media Some text for the media Light snow began after midnight. This morning you can find a couple inches of fresh snow on the southern side of the zone, and an inch or less to the north. Today's snow accumulations will do little to change the danger. Localized hard slabs remain the primary avalanche problem. Bulletin 2011-01-31 The avalanche danger for the Northern San Juan zone is MODERATE (Level 2) on all aspects near and above tree line. Triggering an avalanche is possible on steep slopes, and the resulting avalanche could be large and dangerous. Below tree line, the danger is LOW (Level 1). Any steep, windloaded slope should be treated as suspect, no matter the elevation. North America has adopted new definitions for the danger scale this season. Check out those updates here. http://avalanche.state.co.us/media/roses/caic_rose_7_2011_01_31.jpg 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Persistent Slabs 2.5 Possible Increasing Some comment about this avalanche problem Recent avalanche activity includes triggered avalanches on northeast to southeast aspects near and above treeline. Some of the slabs propagated widely. Loose avalanches have run long distances. However, lots of lines have been ridden with no avalanching. That is evidence of the highly variable snowpack and localized avalanche problem. Recent strong and persistent northwest winds created a highly variable snowpack near and above treeline. The stack of slabs will vary over short distances, with deeply drifted areas right next to scoured ground. The slabs are sandwiching a variety of persistent weak layers. It has become more difficult to trigger an avalanche, but if you get one to go, it could quickly turn into a large, dangerous slide. Evaluate your terrain and snowpack carefully. Use caution on and below any steep, drifted slopes with hard snow. Convex roles and slab margins are likely trigger points. Today's forecast snow amounts will do little to change the avalanche situation. You will find some thin, reactive storm slabs on north, northeast, and east aspects. Any new snow avalanches will be small and shallow, but do not get caught off guard and tumbled.