Observation: Mineral Fork

Observation Date
12/19/2021
Observer Name
Talty, Meisenheimer
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Mineral Fork
Location Name or Route
Mineral Fork
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
At 07:30 air temps were frigid at the TH, but proceeded to warm up quickly with the sun. At our 9000' ridgeline, winds were light from the SW with the occasional moderate gust.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
Snow surfaces traveled on were soft, powder snow.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Cracking
Collapsing
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
We witnessed plenty of collapsing and cracking while traveling, some quite thunderous. We found the poor snowpack structure to begin on this particular NNE aspect at 8,000', where a thin layer of facets could be found at the ground beneath the new snow as of Dec. 9th.
Comments
Plenty of cracking and collapsing could be seen and felt today on our tour in Mineral Fork. We found a poor snowpack structure on a NNE facing rib beginning at 8000', where we began seeing a thin layer of facets below the new snow since 12/09/21 (photo below). We performed an ECT at this location (8000' NNE) and got a result of ECTP-20 at the facet/slab interface. While walking along the ridgeline at 9200', cracks shot out beneath our skis and spread hundreds of feet onto the slopes beneath us (pictured below). We limited our tour to ridges and slopes below 30 degrees, as we were sure any steep NW-N-NE facing slopes would avalanche with the weight of a human.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable
Coordinates