Observation Date
3/6/2017
Observer Name
Hardesty, Wilson
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Cardiff Fork
Location Name or Route
Alta/Cardiff/Cardiff Peak back to LCC
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Cold. Looking at wind chill numbers from the top of Collins...minus 25 to minus 17. You bet. West to northwest winds remained in the moderate category with some drifting...that was more prominent in the overnight to early morning hours.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
12"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
About a foot of new with scattered wind drifts across the landscape...that would almost stop you in your tracks. If you can't spot the wind drifts, it'll be that feeling of texture/resistance that'll be the clue.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Wind Loading
Cracking
Red Flags Comments
Noted a couple size 1 to 1.5 naturals off the south Cardiff Peak ridgeline. E/SE facing though crowns and debris mostly obscured by continued wind loading. One large cornice fall north facing into Cardiff near the top of the Two Trees run, though it didn't looked like it triggered anything below.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
New/old interface on north and south held together by JB Weld; instead weaknesses found within the storm snow 3-5" down though not connected enough to produce any avalanching on many steep test slopes.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments
Wind slabs noted up to 18" scattered on many aspects at the mid and upper elevations. Ski cut many wind loaded test slopes and only produced minor cracking. Another party triggered a 8" deep and 35' wide wind slab on the north Cardiff Peak ridgeline headed toward the intermediate ridge. No other naturals or human triggered wind slabs noted.
"Trend" depends much on overnight and tomorrow winds .
Photo 1 - skier triggered wind pocket off the backside of Cardiff Peak
Photo 2 - early morning naturals now obscured by add'l drifting
Comments
Despite the Considerable danger and continued wind loading, skiers still attacked south facing Little Superior and Two Trees, Toledo Chutes and the Hallway. Evident cross-loading noted in this terrain, but wind drifts apparently inert. Agreed with today's forecast that the height of instability would be in the morning and trending toward Moderate as the day wears on.
Obligatory cornice photo of the day...
Today's Observed Danger Rating
None
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
None
