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Observation: Cardiff Fork

Observation Date
12/31/2015
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Cardiff Fork
Location Name or Route
Cardiac Ridge
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
North
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Cold and clear with very little wind.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
1"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments

Light density settled powder with boot deep penetration while skiing, easy trail breaking.

Comments

Wanted to go to the upper bowls of Cardiac today to see what had happened since the storm cycle, haven't seen any obs from there since the avalanche cycle. Went from Alta and skied into the Key Hole which had avalanched during the storm and had about a foot and a half to two feet of snow on top of the bed surface, with plenty of rocks to smack in the upper steeper portion. Upon arrival in the bottom of the drainage in upper Cardiff it was clear that every thing had avalanched at some point in time during the storm. Here's the list: Little Superior, NE facing, the whole N facing headwall, Cardiac Bowl all the way across Cardiac Ridge, and wrapping to the SE facing part of Cardiac Ridge under the rocks, and Holy Toledo, and also High Ivory NE facing. These slides seem to happen around the same time give or take, some had a little less snow on the bed surface some had more but it was obvious they had all run and cleaned out the facets in the basement. There were some impressive debris piles and crowns to be seen, all slides seemed to run on the facets near the ground. the slides have definitely improved the snow pack structure in the terrain covered, but it also made some of the starting zones thin and if we have high pressure for awhile the starting zones will facet quickly and become suspect with the next load.

Photos: Hansens, LSB, Cardiac Ridge , Cardiac Bowl, and the room of Dome in Mineral Fork which also avalanched wall too wall. Also some new snow sluffs off the rocks in SE facing Cardiac Ridge

Happy New Year everyone!

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