Cardiac Ridge Gendarms.

This photo shows a more aggressive section of the Cardiac Ridge looking north, at a saddle below on the north side of Mt. Superior. The prominent gendarm in the center involves some low class 5 moves to get up and over, the other side is some class 4 on steep angled Mineral Fork Tillite, complete with spots of lichen to help make things more slippery. I hit up the summits of Monte Cristo and Superior, then headed down Superiors north side and onto the Cardiac Ridge traverse, making my way to Peak 10,820, then beyond to the Ivory Tower. I dropped from a saddle between the Ivory Tower and 10,820 into upper Cardiff Fork, and made my way back up to the main ridge near Cardiff Peak, then back to Alta. The rock up on the Cardiac Ridge is very old pre cambrian Mineral Fork Tillite. Very brittle and sharp! Sliced my hands open a couple times on this one. Also it seems this isn't a popular route, most all of the original loose scree and strewn rock on the route still seems very much in place at is has been over eons of time, not being knocked of the sides by other folks up there. It seemed the ridge was primarily class 3 and 4, though a couple short sections of class 5 were encountered. Video showing the traverse: Cardiac Ridge Traverse, Youtube.