Observation: Mineral Fork

Observation Date
12/27/2015
Observer Name
Larry Dunn
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Mineral Fork
Location Name or Route
Mineral Fork BCC
Weather
Sky
Clear
Weather Comments
A beautiful cold, sunny winter day. We were never on a ridge all day, but there was very little wind down in mid-Mineral Fork. It was notably colder by the highway than at higher elevations in the morning due to the strong temperature inversion.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments

The snow surface was right side up and supportable, making for excellent skiing conditions.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
There was a crown from a slab avalanche clearly visible further up Mineral Fork, approximately near the top of GB No. I believe this same crown has been noted from observers that made the ridge above George's Bowl on previous days, so its a few days old. We were skiing in the Moonlight area and didn't get close to the crown. There were some avalanche debris that had come out of the starting zone at the top of Moonlight, but it was a small pile and didn't run very far downslope. I tried for a picture of the crown, but the slopes are all in shade early in the day and there wasn't enough light for a good photo. Hasty pits with my poles as we ascended Moonlight showed the weak facets at the bottom of the snowpack are still present.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Normal Caution
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments

There were at least 3 other groups besides ours in Mineral Fork. No one went any farther up the drainage than Moonlight. The starting zones above Moonlight actually don't appear to have much snow left on them, either they've been wind scoured or there was a lot of sluffing and avalanche activity during the recent storm cycle. So, the threat of something coming down from above didn't seem too great. The bigger problem in this relatively low angle terrain was whether the weak snowpack structure could be trusted when traveling over steeper breakovers and convex terrain features that are widespread in this part of Mineral Fork. We experienced no collapsing or cracking or any other signs of instability while skinning or skiing. Snow conditions were excellent, but the signs of recent avalanches and the presence of the weak facets near the ground was keeping everyone on mostly gentle terrain. When the steeper slopes near the bottom of Moonlight were skied, nothing happened.

Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
Coordinates