Walking up from the Alta Gaurd station in LCC noted that the strong East winds were moving and slabbing up the new foot of dense new snow cracking was common place were the snow was drifted. This cracking was a clue to the instability in the new snow.

Got up to the South facing bench below Cardiff Bowl and walked toward the steep roll-over, watched as the snow fractured remotely from about 20ft away, and propagated past a less steep part of the slope and continued to fracture out most of the slope that was steep enough to slide, pretty loose. Crown was about 18 inches at the deepest point, and about 6 inches at the shallowest point. 50 to 60ft wide and ran about 300ft into less steep terrain. The avalanching was occurring on a density inversion about 2 inches up from the old dirty snow, then gouging down to the old surface. Did not get a shot of the full crown but focused mostly on the deepest part. Photos, deepest part of the crown, close up and far away, crown from the smaller pocket that intern pulled out the larger slide.

Seems like the snow needed to be wind effected and loaded for avalanching. Later on went to look at Rocky Point, the E facing was wind scoured and not suspect. Would not want to be caught in one of these slides on a sustained slope, the snow was dense and thick before it slid, and was concrete like after. If this is what they call Sierra cement I,m glad I don't ski in the NW or California. Photos, debris from both pockets.