Observer Name
Kyle Toohey
Observation Date
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Avalanche Date
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Mineral Fork » Highline
Location Name or Route
Highline
Elevation
9,600'
Aspect
Northeast
Trigger
Natural
Trigger: additional info
Cornice Triggered
Avalanche Type
Dry Loose
Avalanche Problem
New Snow
Weak Layer
New Snow
Depth
12"
Width
50'
Comments
Observed an avalanche on Highline in Mineral Fork, it ran approximately 600' and was 25'-50' wide. There was no discernible crown and from what I could make out up on the ridge cornice fall is the likely culprit. Debris was no more than a couple feet deep and did not step down into any other problem layer we're dealing with currently. There were signs of other similar size avalanches across the rest of the run but they happened earlier as they were covered with previous storm snow. It was hard to make out if there were more avalanches in other parts of the drainage from the last storm cycle.
L-NC-R1/D1-S
I ultimately dug a pit adjacent on the flank of the avalanche, the pit profile is not indicative of the reason for failure of this avalanche but some more info about the snow pack at that elevation mid canyon.
Coordinates
