Observation: West Monitor

Observation Date
3/21/2013
Observer Name
Michael Janulaitis
Region
Salt Lake
Location Name or Route
West Monitor
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Precipitation
Moderate Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
10"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Loading
Cracking

It was a cold and windy day on the PC ridgeline but the new snow skied very well where ever it was deep enough. New snow depth varied from 8-12 inches in the West Monitor and McDonald Draw areas. There were several naturals already present on West Monitor when I arrived. The picture from the top shows a sluff that ran when I approached the cornice. After running about 50 feet at a convex rocky area the the new snow slab fractured about 30 wide and continued to run at a moderate speed to near the base. I was also able to get 2 other sluffs to run to the base with moderate speed by way of a ski cut and a small cornice drop.