Headed for the Monitors today knowing there was a hard freeze at elevations above 8000ft, the snow on the S end of the compass was locked up tight at 8:30am and didn't really soften and corn up until 1:00pm. The snow on the N facing was still dry and resting on a supportable and carvy base on my first run in N facing S Monitor, by the time I did my second run the dry snow had become damp, and produce roller balling. When I was hiking out on the N facing at around noon the snow was starting to become unsupportable. Both S and W Monitor had a lot of debris in them do to natural cornice drops and wet roller balling, and you had to stay away from cornices if you wanted a smooth surface. I was a bit surprised how late the S facing stayed supportive but a cold clear night lock things up tight and it took a while for the sun to do its thing.

photos: debis, cornices and wet activity in West and South Monitor Bowl.