Observer Name
uncledad
Observation Date
Thursday, March 9, 2023
Avalanche Date
Thursday, March 9, 2023
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Cardiff Fork » Cardiac Bowl
Location Name or Route
Cardiac Bowl, lower bench
Trigger
Skier
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Avalanche Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Weak Layer
New Snow/Old Snow Interface
Comments
SS-ASu-D1.5. Didnt see it happen but somebody obviously walked up the steep slope and triggered a wind slab. There is a much safer (~30°) ascent route immediately adjacent to this track.
I observe this type of "terrain management" every time I'm in the central Wasatch on a sunny day. It would be nice if people used the standard routes to access steep terrain, instead of walking up avalanche paths that also happen to be popular ski runs. Parties skinning up superior south face or booting up the hallway has become commonplace. IMO this inability to appropriately manage terrain on ASCENT is the biggest and most widespread problem currently facing our busy community. There have been multiple fatalities and close calls in recent years because of this type of decision making, but it seems nobody wants to talk about it. This behavior should be discouraged. If you cant do it right, you probably shouldn't be doing it. We can be better.
Coordinates