April 1
Cardiff and Mineral Fork
Elevations, slope angles and aspects:
6800-10600', angles over 35°, all aspects
Avalanche activity:
Two skier triggered shallow new snow slides were observed.
The first was on a southeast facing rollover below Cardiff bowl
and west of the guard station. It was several inches deep, running 20' or so.
The second was on an east facing rollover below Cardiac bowl.
20-30' wide and a few inches deep, crown visble, looker's left,
triggered by a traversing skier.
Both were the result of morning west wind adding a slab to the surface of recent storm snow. There were also a number of sluffs noted on north and east facing caused by a windy period during the storm.
Slopes skied:
Little Superior ne facing, Cardiac bowl skier's right chute, Upper Mill B south, entry from Superior and room of doom in Mineral Fork.
Snow conditions:
New snow had settled to 8-10" in Cardiff, 6" in upper Mineral fork, 2-4" at lower elevations. It was well bonded to the old surface a day after the widespread sluffing. Clouds prevented much warming, except at lower elevations. Wind from the west, especially in the Cardiff area, produced shallow drifting over the recent snow, forming a stiff surface in exposed locations.
Weather:
Partly cloudy to overcast as the next storm moved in. Winds from the west were gusting to around 30 mph, both along the ridges and down in the drainages.
Stronger wind in Cardiff. Moderate temperatures.
Evaluation:
Instability was limited to newly formed shallow wind drifts. Most should settle quickly and were manageable with ski cuts. Future instabiltity would be dependent on forecast new snow, another period of wind and day time heating from the strong spring sun.
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