Observation: Cardiff Fork

Observation Date

12/19/2025

Observer Name

CBrown

Region

Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Cardiff Fork

Location Name or Route

Powerline Ridge

Weather

Sky

Overcast

Wind Speed

Calm

Weather Comments

Warm temps, overcast skies, and light winds gusting to moderate SW this morning with a few graupel pellets falling around 8:30.

Snow Characteristics

New Snow Density

High

Snow Surface Conditions

Powder

Faceted Loose

Wind Crust

Melt-Freeze Crust

Snow Characteristics Comments

Real mixed bag of conditions. South-facing slopes had some unsupportable crust covered by a bit of graupel on low-angle slopes with supportable MF crust with some graupel on top on steeper slopes. Northerly facing slopes had a wind slab-esque unsupportable "crust' (suspected warm snow surface that was refreezing) on many open slopes below 9,900' observed down to 9,000'. Gladed areas had slightly better conditions with more supportable dense graupel and powder.

Red Flags

Poor Snowpack Structure

Red Flags Comments

Basal facets still reactive in some snowpits.

Avalanche Problem #1

Problem

Persistent Weak Layer

Trend

Same

Problem #1 Comments

Basal facets are still reactive, showing propagation in some pits in NW-N-NE. Did not show propagation in all pits. No recent avalanche activity noted.

Snow Profile

Aspect

Northwest

Elevation

9,800'

Slope Angle

26°