Observer Name
Sam Thackeray
Observation Date
Tuesday, November 29, 2022
Avalanche Date
Tuesday, November 29, 2022
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Mineral Fork
Location Name or Route
Mineral Fork
Elevation
7,800'
Aspect
Northeast
Trigger
Skier
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Avalanche Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Weak Layer
Surface Hoar
Depth
12"
Width
50'
Snow Profile Comments
This avalanche was remote triggered from below, from approximately 60 feet away. The failure occurred at the new old interface between 4F- storm snow and a combination of Surface Hoar and Near Surface Facets. Most of the slab fractured and quickly arrested, but several parts on slightly steeper sections of the slope ran for 40 feet. We observed several other similar avalanches at similar elevations.
Comments
We observed wide spread cracking and Whumpfing between 7800 and 8400 feet. At 8400 feet our hasty pits showed a change in snow pack structure. We did not observe any more Surface Hoar above this point, and below the new snow was a thin 1cm crust, possibly Melt Freeze or wind packed snow. We continued to experience cracking up to 8600 or 8700, but not above, up to 9000. At this point we no longer observed the 1 cm crust in hasty pits and saw 30 cm's of storm snow sitting directly on old faceted snow.
Coordinates