Sawatch

Avalanche

Zach Moore · Apr 30, 2016 · Sawatch

Weather

Overcast, lightly snowing, with Winds out of the W app. 10-15 MPH. 12"+ of new snow with a mix of stellars and graupel. Slide occurred in Gondola Bowl above treeline on Monarch Pass. N Aspect.

Snowpack

12 inches plus of new snow with a mix of stellars and graupel, all less than 1mm in size. Several other runs were skied during the day of similar aspect and there was no signs of instability, and no tension in the snowpack. On steeper runs, some small sloughing occurred. Winds picked up slightly after noon, but Gondola Bowl seemed to be the only zone that built windslab that we observed.

Avalanche

Small skier triggered avalanche (R1/D1) occurred in Gondola Bowl - second skier in a group of three dropped in, cut right under the small cornice and released the soft slab. Skier was not caught and stayed on their feet. Slide propagated app. 35' wide and ran 500'. Crown was 3" to 2' on the skiers left side. Skier exited to the skiers left of the slide and proceeded down the slope with no other incident.