Ad
The National Forest Service Logo
icon-add Observation
Forecasts
Logan Ogden Salt Lake Provo Uintas Skyline Moab Abajos Weather Archives How to read the forecast
Observations & Avalanches
Submit Observation Observations Explorer All Observations Avalanches Fatalities Weather Place Names Map Archives
Education
Avalanche Class List UAC Class List Online Classes Resources and Tutorials Avalanche Awareness Develop Skills
Events
Store
About
Contact Who we are Core Values Staff Board of Directors Past Forecasters Sponsors Annual Reports Sign In
Blog
icon-add Observation
Donate / Join

Observation: Cardiac Bowl

Observation Date
12/7/2015
Observer Name
Ben Peters
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Cardiff Fork » Cardiac Bowl
Location Name or Route
Cardiac Bowl
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Gusty wind from the s. quadrant, switching between SE & SW.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Pockets of harder wind slab throughout the upper elevation terrain, with some softer pockets of wind deposit and some areas scoured. The wind slabs were generally 2-4" thick with some up to about 6", and on top of loose, low density facets. In less wind affected areas I was getting occasional 2+' penetration in soft facets over rocks even with skins on, but mostly supportable snow.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Cracking
Collapsing
Red Flags Comments
Visible wind transport when the wind gusted up, although it looked like the majority of the available loose snow has already been blown around by this point. Wind slabs were patchy, but by tip-toeing to the edge of one I was able to trigger some shooting cracks that propagated over and up several meters. I also observed some isolated small collapses in wind slabs in the flats.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
The largest wind slabs appeared to be on NW facing above 10,000, but were present through out NE through NW. I was unable to get any of the hard slabs that were isolated & small enough for me to comfortably play with to actually move, but they had enough energy to propagate cracks several meters and cause small collapses in the wind-affected flats.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low