Observation: Cardiac Ridge

Observation Date
3/2/2020
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Cardiff Fork » Cardiac Ridge
Location Name or Route
Cardiff Fork
Weather
Sky
Scattered
Wind Direction
North
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Clear skies in the am with increasing high clouds around 1:00pm and back to clear later in the afternoon. N breeze on the high ridge line.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
6"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
6 to 7 inches of new light density snow from yesterday, damp on the S end of the compass by 11:00am. SE started to crust up when the high clouds blocked out the sun mid afternoon.
Comments
I was expecting a bit more snow in Cardiff but at this time of year I'll take what I get. Once again basically dust on crust in the terrain covered with the crust less pronounced on lower angle slopes. Lots of wet and dry skier triggered sluffs on S facing Superior, not an especially good day to be late seeing that the sun angle is high and light density snow goes off almost immediately when it gets direct sun light, this time of year. The main activity in Cardiff Fork was sluffing of the new snow on the slick bed surface found almost everywhere. The sluffs weren't especially big or packing much punch due to the light density of the new snow. There was one natural cornice drop off the top of the Cardiac Mill B Ridgeline just N of the Lightning Bolt Couloir which calved off when we were hiking up Hansen's. It was fairly large and wouldn't have been any fun to get hit by. photos: dry and wet sluffs in Cardiff all natural, and the natural cornice drop that occurred around 12:30
Thinking moderate for wet activity tomorrow
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate