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Observation: Mineral Fork

Observation Date
3/16/2018
Observer Name
T Diegel
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Mineral Fork
Location Name or Route
Mineral BCC
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Weather Comments
the calm before the storm? a skinner from this morning was blown somewhat up higher, but it was calm in the afternoon.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
12"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments

Seemed like the new snow bonded pretty well to the old snow surface on the north aspect at 9500 where I did a quick hand pit, and hadn't formed a slab even though it was above treeline. Projected winds tonight could change that, however.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
below the new snow/old snow interface I pushed my pole in a ways and not surprisingly near the end it plunged deep easily; there's still some shite down there and it didn't seem deep enough to me to be out of play with a new load. But 6 or 8 " more.....is that enough of a load, with couple hundred pounds of skier on top of it?
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem #1 Comments

It seemed like the new snow on the north side stayed cold above about 8k, and tho we didn't get on south facing, it seemed like the sun wasn't out enough to put on any kind of a surface crust. I would expect the new snow coming in tomorrow to bond pretty well to the "old" (only 1-2 days old) snow. But again, that load on the PWL's lurking below.....

We saw a few loose/new snow sluffs from folks who had skinned up higher/steeper than we cared to go, but no slab...no foul?

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