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Avalanche: Cardiac Ridge

Observer Name
McCurdy, Groves, Kemp
Observation Date
Friday, April 22, 2011
Avalanche Date
Friday, April 22, 2011
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Cardiff Fork » Cardiac Ridge
Location Name or Route
Cardiff Fork, Cardiac Ridge
Elevation
10,600'
Aspect
East
Slope Angle
35°
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Weak Layer
New Snow/Old Snow Interface
Depth
Unknown
Width
Unknown
Vertical
1,000'
Comments

After gaining Cardiac Ridge in the usual spot, the 3 of us began booting up to the higher point on the ridge. I was in the front and felt I was trending to the climbers right and away from the cornices when 75' of cornice pounded the slope below. We were 14-16' away from the edge before the cornice broke and probably 6-8' from the new edge after the cornice broke. From the pics you can see how far back on the flats and even down slope (towards Mineral) slightly that it cracked. We all agreed that this was a close call, not so much for our positioning but for others that could have easily been below us. Fortunately its April 22nd and there were very few skiers in sight. We were the only 3 on the ridge today when earlier in the season there could easily be a dozen.

Coordinates