Observation Date
1/12/2019
Observer Name
Greg Gagne/Andrew Reich
Region
Salt Lake
Location Name or Route
Mineral/Cardiff
Comments
Route today was Mineral Fork/Cardiff. Looked at snow on all aspects up to 10,200' Recent storm system treated this zone well, with settled depths of storm snow 30-45 cms. Overall have been finding a weak, shallow snowpack in Mineral this season, but it is beginning to gain some strength as the snowpack adds depth. Lots of quick pits and observations today (no photos). Some key points we came away with:
- Widespread wind affected snow in exposed, upper elevation terrain from strong southwest winds this past Wednesday. Lots of quick hand pits and ski cuts, but drifts were not reactive at all.
- The old snow surface that had faceted on 1/1 - 1/4 showed continued signs of strengthening, and we were unable to get clean shears on this interface. At best shears were Q2/RP.
- Biggest concern remains very weak snow in steep, upper elevation rocky terrain with a thin snowpack. The most concerning structure I was finding was on some isolated north and northwest aspects above 9000' with very weak facets and depth hoar throughout the thinner snowpack, and a denser/stronger storm snow from this past week on top. It was unreactive to quick stability tests and pits, and seems like a dormant issue for now.
- There are some isolated areas in the upper elevations with a thin, faceted snowpack which was recently wind loaded where it may be possible to trigger a wind slab avalanche failing in the facets below.
Where we were traveling today, the hazard was Low.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low