Wasatch Mountains, UT, Report: The North Face of Mt. Superior in Cringy, Rock-Strewn Powder Snow

Miles Clark | Post Tag for BackcountryBackcountry | Post Tag for Conditions ReportConditions Report

Report from November 30, 2024

We went for Cardiac Ridge in the Wasatch Mountains, UT, on Saturday.

The weather was warm and sunny with a slight breeze when we left the car around 9am.

Up and over Cardiff Pass without incident.

Cardiac Ridge. image: snowbrains

Across and down into the headwaters of Cardiff Fork.

We gawked all around and there were quite few tracks on Cardiac Ridge.

We called an audible and went for the north face of Mt. Superior.

Mt. Superior. image: snowbrains

It took about 3 hours to get into position just below the summit chute.

We’d done some snow tests and the north facing snowpack had a fierce rotten layer (facets) down on the rocks about 2 feet down.

To us it was clear:  

  • Avoid high, north, steep, rocky zones
Jagged. image: snowbrains

I chose the skiers right side of the face and dropped in first.

Wham!

Clubbed a rock on the first turn…

My track on the right. image: snowbrains

My confidence was poor but the snow was excellent. 

I was cringing on every turn expecting another rock strike.

I hit one more rock near the bottom.

Perfect spongey snow. image: snowbrains

Dammit.

Skis were OK, but man, it’s tough to fully enjoy the powder when you know you’re skiing through a shark tank.

There was one more pitch down to where we’d start skinning again and this snow was truly epic.

Contrast. image: snowbrains

Creamy, spongey snow on top of a dense bouncy house layer.

Phenomenal skiing for another 20 turns or so.

From there we skinned uphill and downhill back to Cardiff Pass.

North face of Mt. Superior tracks. image: snowbrains

From the pass down was pure survial skiing with a few fun low angle powder turns.

I’d gotten back to the car having harvested 43 great powder turns and I didn’t hurt my skis.

I chalked that up as a win.

Cardiac Ridge. image: snowbrains

This was my last day trying to make the Wasatch backcountry work.

Now, it’s off to Tahoe to get as weird as possible at Palisades Tahoe for a couple of weeks while we all wait for the next snow cycle to start again.

Which might take a while…

Juan leading the charge. image: snowbrains

After skiing I rolled into The Gear Room, dropped off another pair of Scott skis (Pure 115s 189cm) and used my in-store credit from previous ski sales to refresh my glacier travel/crevasse rescue kit.

Late night my wife and I checked out the new Hyatt at the new Deer Valley East Village.

Great food, high prices, no one around.

Thanks, Utah!

Photos

Tracks on Cardiac Ridge. image: snowbrains
The boys trudging towards their goal. image: snowbrains
Soaking in the sun. image: snowbrains
Texture. image: snowbrains
Almost there. image: snowbrains
Cardiac Ridge. image: snowbrains
Mike’s tracks on Cardiac Ridge. image: snowbrains
Classic Wasatch powder hound. image: snowbrains
Mike’s track. image: snowbrains
3 hours to the top. image: snowbrains
Cardiff Fork. image: snowbrains
This guy had already done 10 laps by the time we left. Fully farming track next to track. Stacking tracks like a pro. image: snowbrains
Headed home. image: snowbrains
South side of Mt. Superior, UT.
Juan. image: snowbrains
Cody? image: snowbrains
The Gear Room rocks! image: snowbrains
What I traded in some of my in-store credit for. image: snowbrains
A damn good margarita at the Hyatt Deer Valley East. image: snowbrains
Prime Rib Dip. image: snowbrains
Entertainment in the speakeasy at the Hyatt.

 

 

Posted by Miles Clark |

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