Observation: Cardiff Fork

Observation Date
12/1/2019
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Cardiff Fork
Location Name or Route
Ivory Flakes, Cardiff Fork
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Sunny fairly warm and calm in the AM, increasing clouds and wind speeds in the PM
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
Right side up and light density on the surface, still strenuous trail breaking in upper Cardiff.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Wind Loading
Poor Snowpack Structure
Comments
Finally got enough visibility to go see what had occurred in the upper regions of Cardiff Fork, Cardiac and Ivory. There were multiple avalanches in the upper drainage, some down to the ground interface some on a melt freeze crust on the SE facing. Here’s the list LSB NE facing , crown about a fourth of the way down the slope, Cardiac Bowl wall to wall under the rock bands, multiple slides on Cardiac Ridge, most notable, Hansen’s mid slope to the ground, a couple pockets on the ridge mid slope to the ground, the main line off the top, the SE facing below the rocks. Moving down canyon there was a large slide to the ground on High Ivory E facing on the roll over, mid slope as well as the SE facing on High Ivory. We had to break trail from the creek crossing on and were a bit surprised to not experience any collapsing or cracking throughout the day. The number of mid slope avalanches is troublesome in my book and makes decisions on stability complicated, there are large portions of the slopes that have not avalanches and still have poor structure.
photos and video of all the slides noted
Video
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable