Avalanche
- Slab Width
- 305 m
- Weak Layer
- Depth Hoar
- Trigger Type
- Skier
- Vertical Fall
- 305 m
- Avalanche Type
- Hard Slab
- Slab Thickness
- 183 cm
- Trigger Detail
- Cornice Triggered
- Start Zone Aspect
- Northeast
- Avalanche Problem
- Persistent Weak Layer
- Start Zone Elevation
- 3018 m
Here's some better Photos of the massive slide in West Monitor. Biggest I've seen it go, ran full track on the flats to its historic boundaries. Massive amounts of hang fire still left in the bowl. Obviously ripped out on facets at the ground, massive debris pile. Many spots in the crown where you can see where it stepped down into the old weak layers.
Forecaster Comments:
Backcountry skiers intentionally triggered a large cornice that rolled to the lower part of the slope and triggered a very large avalanche in West Monitor that took out the entire season's snowpack to the ground. Here are comments from the skiers who triggered it:
After making sure no people were in the run a friend and I kicked off a truck size cornice while on belay. The cornice ran down to the bottom of the bowl and triggered a very large avalanche once it reached the bottom. The avalanche broke all the way to the ground and ran full track.
Photos by Mark White who happened upon the scene shortly after it was triggered: