Observation: Cardiff Pass

Observation Date
1/9/2020
Observer Name
Bruce Tremper
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Cardiff Pass
Location Name or Route
Cardiff Pass
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Precipitation
Moderate Snowfall
Weather Comments
Light snow showers all day with poor visibility at times. Perhaps 2 inches accumulated during the day.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
12"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
One of those days.... Fabulous turning conditions in about a foot of light powder on a supportable base with cold temperatures. On southerly aspects, you would occasionally bounce off the solid sun crust under the low density snow. and on north aspects it felt bottomless.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Heavy Snowfall
Red Flags Comments
No red flags except a foot of snow the previous night. We did not notice much wind drifting or wind slabs but our high point was only near Cardiff Pass, and we did not venture to the higher peaks. There were quite a few other parties out in the area, as expected from such an easily accessed place. People were getting away with skiing and boarding most slopes on most aspects and as near as I could tell, no one was triggering avalanches. Three people skied Toledo Chutes and I kept an eye on them to see if they would trigger a wind slab or stuff but, alas, no problem. Visibility was poor so I could not see any avalanche activity and I took no photos. I dug no snow profiles but the surface snow seemed very well behaved.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
None
Coordinates