December 16
Alta guard station to Cardiff out to Reynolds Flat
Elevation, slope angles and aspects:
7500-11'000', angles over 35°, all aspects
Avalanche activity:
Finally got a view of the slides on north facing Cardiff peak. There were actually three slides, two visible in the photo
and one lookers right,
eyebrow bowl. These were all from the December 9 period.
Other activity noticed from the same period were two slides in upper Mineral, room of doom, both coming out of the rock bands and running into the bowl, neither "cleaning out" weak underlying snow.
No recent activity was seen, although the volunteer stability testers were out in force.
Slopes skied:
Eyebrow bowl, Cardiac bowl(low on the shoulder), Cardiac ridge and High Ivory.
Snow conditions:
A skiff of new snow, over lighter density, over settled snow, was the common theme. Upper elevations had wind crusts, variable thickness from west winds. The crust, up to a coupla inches thick were reactive to ski cuts, especially when over small grained recently formed faceted snow. Otherwise produced the" herky jerkys" when encountered, skiing. Down lower, out of the wind, shady slopes had recrystalizing settled powder. There was enough sun to, likely, initiate some limited wet activity, with warming.
Snow pack totals ranged from over 4' in upper Cardiac bowl, to about 16" on High Ivory.
No collapsing, localized cracking.
Weather:
Cool temperatures, pleasant in the sun. Gusty west-southwest winds less than 20 mph, mostly at upper elevations. Clear skies.
Evaluation:
Time and cool temperatures appear to have eased tension in the slab over faceted snow layering. Stability indicators swarming all over upper Cardiff produced no avalanches. Snow is mostly stable in the area, although a determined person would probably be able to find an area where this wasn't the case. Would not extend this conclusion without reservations to areas west of Cardiff.
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