Observation: Cardiac Ridge

Observation Date
3/6/2018
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Cardiff Fork » Cardiac Ridge
Location Name or Route
Cardiff Fork, LSB north, Hansen's, Cardiac Ridge
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Warm with blue bird skies, and not much wind to speak of.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

The surface snow has dried out and lightened up compared to yesterday, and it's settling out a bit, but breaking trail is still knee deep in some places on the N facing. The S, SE, and SW got damp today and will be crusted in the AM.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Rapid Warming
Red Flags Comments
I was concerned that the warm up might make things come unglued but the wet activity was minamul, in the terrain covered.
Comments

Skied Cardiff Bowl SE facing, LSB north facing, Hansen's and Cardiac Ridge, no real avalanche activity noted today except for some minor wet activity on the S facing. I did note some slides that occurred during the storm including Cardiac Bowl, the steep roll-overs in Hansen's and some of the steep terrain in between Hansen's and Cardiac Bowl. As for wet activity there was some action on SE facing Cardiac Ridge, and SE facing Cardiac Bowl but nothing to alarming. It seemed like upper Cardiff that has one of the deeper snow-packs around is handling the new load quite well, with all the bigger N, NE facing lines getting skied today with no activity. Tomorrow I would expect more wet activity with warming temps and lots of cold snow still around to heat up.

Photos: Wet activity on SE facing Cardiac Bowl, and Cardiac Ridge, Slides that occurred in Cardiac Bowl, and the lower roll in Hansen's during the storm

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