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Observation: Ivory Flakes

Observation Date
12/12/2013
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Cardiff Fork » Ivory Flakes
Location Name or Route
Cardiff Fork, Ivory Flakes
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Nice warm sunny day compared to the last fridgid week.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

Seems like the new storm snow slab is starting to break down a bit on the surface but in the areas traveled the slab is still cohesive and energetic. Surface hoar noted in the drainage bottoms, not so much on the slopes.

Comments

Hiked up Cardiff to have a look at NE, E facing Ivory flakes. Dug some quick pits at about 10,000ft NE facing on a 30 degree slope. In two of the four pits I dug the column failed upon isolation, the other two popped out with barely a touch. Not going to throw a bunch of numbers and symbols at you, there are plenty obs with more complete pit profiles, but its pretty easy to see on the VIDEO how energetic the slab is and how clean the sheer is on facets underlying last weeks two storms. Photos, depth of the snow pack in Ivory, and the failure plain in the pit.

Video

The theme of the day braking trail up Ivory Flakes was collapsing, and cracking, basically from when we left the main trail collapsing and cracking was constant until we reached our destination. Got a couple good ground shakers when we were all traveling closely together. Photos, deep crack going into old faceted snow. old slides from last week off the rock slabs, surface hoar growth.

Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate