January 4
Alta guard-Black Knob-Cardiac bowl-Cardiac pass-Mill B South-Mineral Fork
Elevations, slope angles and aspects
7200-10600', angles over 35°, all aspects.
Snow conditions
4-8" recent storms, snow total.
The upper inch+ is denser snow especially at the highest elevations making for stiff skiing.
South facing wasn't crusted early but, small rollers were observed with day time heating so sun exposed may have some crusting.
Temperatures did not allow surface faceting but, I did find facets experiencing melt freeze
in one of the thermals, on the approach to Cardiac pass.
Weather
Partly cloudy with mild temperatures early in the day. Clouds increased accompanied by winds from the west, gusting to around 15mph, by afternoon.
Evaluation
Snow in upper Cardiff and Mineral Fork was mostly stable.
As before, instability would be from wind drifting on the wide variety of old snow layering.
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