Date: 12/15/2009
Cardiff Pass
Mostly sunny, approx -2 C, light S winds

SS-ASu-D2R2-O/G - East aspect 10,000 ft on C

Comments:  Brett Kobernik

I snapped this photo of Cardiff Bowl as I found this route interesting.  I noted some plumes coming off the ridge at the time loading the left side of the slope somewhat.  It is not uncommon to see this route get used.  The route is poor because you are obviously exposed the entire time you are walking across the slope.  A better route is to stay on the ridge.  I thought it was a possibility that the person who cut the traverse and skied the run may have felt comfortable there after seeing the bomb hole from UDOT control work.  As I understand it, the UDOT crew cannot get any shots farther to the lookers left because of the angle from the gun, so this is where it usually goes.  It would be more desireable to get the shot off to the left a bit more as there is more weak underlying snow there.

Here is the avalanche that I got to watch run while I was having lunch.  It was unintentionally human triggered and no one was caught.  I later was able to speak to a person who was in the group that triggered the slide.  There were some very interesting decision making discussions amongst the group prior to the slide.  The numerous tracks and the bomb hole helped make them feel more secure.  Also, it was my impression that they were looking for reasons to justify them going across the slope.  They ultimately wanted to look at potentially weak snow near the slide and found reasons why they could put the group on the slope and go look.  Many thanks to the person I spoke to.  These honest accounts help us all look at descision making and hopefully make us better at it.