Observation: Cardiff Pass

Observation Date
3/23/2018
Observer Name
Glew
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Cardiff Pass
Location Name or Route
Cariff Pass
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Poor visibility. It was rather warm and wet. Rain snow line was a little below Snowbird base when I left around noon.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
6"
New Snow Density
High
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

Snow was rather damp at the trailhead by the church in Alta. Boot pen was about shin deep there. Up at about 9750 I dug a snow pit on a south facing aspect near the pass.. There was about 6 feet of snow completely saturated to the ground. I found a solid ice crust about 3-4 feet down which produced a CT 24 Q3. Digging to the ground was like digging through concrete. Boot pen was about ankle deep where I dug. It was kind of spooky being out in the mountains today, as I am not used to skiing after a massive rain event. There was poor viability which made it hard to see but I did not notice any recent avalanches in upper Little Cottonwood. The skiing was fun and surfy. Below the new snow it was rather firm about 9000 ft and above which resulted in scratchy turns on steeper rollovers. My thought is that where the snowpack was saturated to the ground it will gain strength when it cools off and make the deep slab problem we have been dealing with most of the season disappear. My assumption that it is saturated to the ground at all elevations and aspects. Hopefully that is the case.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Noticed wet debris in north facing shots from the Y Coulior down. All the water running through the snowpack is making things wierd and unpredictable until we get a solid freeze. Maybe by tomorrow things will be less sketchy.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate