Observation: Cardiac Ridge

Observation Date
12/1/2014
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Cardiff Fork » Cardiac Ridge
Location Name or Route
Cardiac Ridge
Weather
Sky
Broken
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Warm at the trailhead in BCC, quite a bit windier than I was expecting, transporting the new light density snow on the high ridges to the leeward NE facing slopes ex: LSB NE facing
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
2"
New Snow Density
High
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Dense Loose
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments

Quite a mixed bag of conditions, light density powder in wind protected terrain, with dense snow underneath, wind drifts with facets underneath in the wind exposed terrain, melt freeze crust at lower elevations and south facing terrain.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Poor Snowpack Structure
Comments

Decided today might be a good day to walk up Cardiac Ridge via the old slide path from last weekend, wanted to look at the snow and see if the path cleaned out the facets at the ground when it ran. I could still see old debris piles on the lower slope, once I got out on the main run on the east facing part of the ridge I dug down and took a look at the snow, seems like most of the weak facets at the ground were cleaned out pretty well. There was still facets at the bottom but a extremely thin layer compared to similar slopes that have not slid. The wind was loading the top of the ridge and I decided not to go all the way too the top, I was also slipping on the new wind drifts that were sitting on near surface facets and cracking out under my skis on the firm base in steeper terrain. Think I would be more worried about the loose surface of the snow on Cardiac Ridge for the future than any persistent slab issues in the terrain covered. Skiing wise, I've had better and I've also had allot worse. Photos cracking of wind drifted snow on facets in steeper terrain, wind loading on LSB, Cardiac Ridge, and in the bottom of the drainage, route up the old slide path were debris piles can still be seen, the wind damage continues in the Cardiac area

Moderate in most areas, still thinking considerable in the High north facing terrain that has not slid.

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