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Observation Date
11/6/2013
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Cardiff Fork
Location Name or Route
Cardiac Ridge from Alta
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Warm and balmy in the morning, increasing NW winds and colder in the afternoon.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Melt-Freeze Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments

Snow had settled out from yesterdays 10 inches of light density, down to about 8 inches of slightly denser snow. Wind was creating some dense slabs in certain terrain.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Wind Loading
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Poor snowpack structure is only present on the high north facing terrain, east and west seem to be sitting pretty right now.
Comments

Made it out to Cardiac Ridge today with Brett to have a look at how the starting zones on east facing Cardiac Ridge were fairing, not to bad is what we discovered, mainly the new snow from the last couple storms sitting on a somewhat damp melt freeze crust from the earlier storms this year, or just the new snow sitting on dirt. Video of a ECT at about 10,000ft north facing, not super impressive or dynamic. Photo cracking in a dense wind slab formed during the day in SE facing Cardiff Bowl, coverage in upper Cardiff.

Video

Upon making it back to Cardiff Pass we realized a fairly large avalanche had pulled out on High Baldy shoulder and had run to the flats. Sounds like it was remotely triggered by a skier hiking up to ski the main chute. This pocket pulls out regularly when the wind loads it from the NW, Its rocky, unsupported, and usually holding facets. Photos are of the Baldy slide, in the first photo you can see the boot track not far from the slide, I assume it was remotely triggered from this up track, last photo is a crappy shot of the debris.

Video