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Avalanche: Cardiac Bowl

Observer Name
Wolfy - additional photos by Tremper
Observation Date
Friday, February 14, 2014
Avalanche Date
Friday, February 14, 2014
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Cardiff Fork » Cardiac Bowl
Location Name or Route
Cardiac Pass to rock slabs
Elevation
10,500'
Aspect
East
Trigger
Natural
Avalanche Type
Hard Slab
Avalanche Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Weak Layer
Facets
Depth
6'
Width
1,000'
Comments

I noticed a large avalanche that occurred in cardiac. I don't know very much about it except that the crown goes all the way from cardiac pass to the cardiac ridge run and then there is another crown lower down at the roll over. we observed the aftermath a little before noon on Feb 14 so it happened sometime before then.

Forecaster comments: I took additional photos on February 15th. The avalanche broke from Cardiac Pass to the steep rock slabs down canyon. Total width was estimated to be 1000' with a fracture depth estimated to be 5-6 feet. As it descended, it pulled out the lower slopes on Little Superior down by the bottom of the basin at about the same depth and width. I did not get to examine the fracture line but it was obvious from looking at it that it was a deep slab running on the weak depth hoar and faceted snow layers deep in the snowpack. The first photo is an overall wide view of the upper and lower fracture lines. Bruce Tremper

Comments

Here are a couple more photos of the upper fracture line and also another photo of the lower fracture line.

Coordinates