Incident

Avalanche: Cardiff Pass

Jason KonigsbergSalt Lake
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Quick report

Slope Angle
38°

Avalanche

Slab Width
9 m
Weak Layer
New Snow
Trigger Type
Skier
Vertical Fall
30 m
Avalanche Type
Hard Slab
Slab Thickness
20 cm
Trigger Detail
Unintentionally Triggered
Start Zone Aspect
East
Avalanche Problem
Wind Slab
Start Zone Elevation
3078 m

Exiting to Alta at 3pm. Stayed on the ridge from Cardiff Peak pushing some snow to see if east and southeast had refrozen yet. Got a little lower down and further off the ridge towards pole line pass and stopped near a smooth looking piece of snow. Initial thought was surface had refrozen and would make for a decent exit. Heard an audible collapse and noticed a slab had broke out about 5' above me. Was able to fight and self arrest on the bed surface. Wouldn't have been buried but would have been a leg twisting ride with the very dense slab.

Slab was about 8" deep where I was caught and seemed to have warmed during the day and then refroze, slab was 1F to pencil hardness. Under the slab was about 1" of F to 4F dry new snow above a slick mf crust. Its possible that there were small grained facets above the crust but can't confirm.

Incident

Number Caught
1