M. Dawson

Salt Lake » Park City Ridgeline » Monitors

West Monitor

10,000'

Northeast

Skier

6"

125'

While performing a ski cut on a lower angle slope to the south (towards chicken out ridge), cracks propagated towards a steeper slope leading into the southern flank of W. Monitor. The avalanche comprised only new snow and had no cohesion with the old snow that formed the bed layer. The start zone at the crown of the avalanche was less than 30 degrees, revealing the sensitivity of the interface between the old snow and the new. The avalanche gained momentum and speed once it rolled into the steeper slope angle of the main bowl and ran full track.