Dogtooth Range Avalanche

Lots of settlements on uptack. Avoided exposure to overhead hazard due to fear of triggering an avalanche from below (toe triggering) . Skier remote triggered size 2.5 avalanche in alpine from 250m away in what looked like the "best" ski terrain. Easily triggered cornices at ridge top. Photos taken from remote trigger point!

An amazingly large and loud settlement that sounded like thunder or a jet taking off initiated the avalanche. 3 separate slabs initiated from the settlement size 1, 2 and 2.5.

Previous winds have redistributed past storm snow creating wind loads and fragile cornices in exposed areas in the alpine and tree line, 40cm softer F-1f snow overlies a pencil hard 5-10cm crust, below this is 20cm of low density 1F-4F faceted snow, this sits on a hard icy base in the alpine and moist ground cover at TL. Solar and windward aspects generally lacked sufficient coverage to ski, ok skiing was found on low angle terrain with smooth ground cover or in moderate gully features on polar aspects, unskiable below tree line.