January 7
Alta guard station out Mineral Fork
Elevations, slope angles and aspects:
7200-10'200, angles over 35°, all aspects
Avalanche activity:
Numerous shallow new snow slides in upper Cardiff.
Most were well down off the ridges, with a starting zone on lower angled terrain. Maybe the result of graupel pooling. Had a good view of the explosive triggered slides at Snowbird
in the cirque. Large version here. Those have taken place over the last few days, with one natural.
A closer view.
No cracking or collapsing was experienced. Stress fractures and a slide during the later part of the storm were discovered on the east side of the eyebrow.
That info was used to make a safe entry into Cardiff.
Both cracking and collapsing were experienced on the northwest facing shoulder of east bowl,
in Silver Fork.
Slopes skied:
Southeast facing Cardiff bowl, skiers right of the eyebrow, High Ivory and East Mineral, exiting out Mineral Fork
Snow conditions:
4-6" light density overlying a supportable crust was found on all aspects. South facing was dry in the morning and may have remained that way through the day. Shady slopes had fast skiing with a spongy old surface under the new snow.
Weather:
Bluebird in the morning, with increasing clouds and instability showers in the afternoon. Partial clearing late.
Snow pit:
Quick pit, mid slope on High Ivory, produced an easy shear, Q1, just under the 6 inches of light density snow, in a layer of graupel, about 1" thick.
Evaluation:
While new snow slides were shallow and benign, the explosive triggered slides at Snowbird indicate lingering deep slab instabilities. Water weight totals from weekend storms, reportedly over 5", combined with all the wind, dictate a "proceed with caution" while waiting to see how it all shakes out.
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