UDOT PLANNED AVALANCHE CLOSURES!!
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Observation: Mineral Fork

Observation Date
3/15/2022
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Mineral Fork
Location Name or Route
Mineral Fork
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Collapsing
Rapid Warming
Poor Snowpack Structure
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
Most important first. Cranky snowpack. Our party had 3 collapses. 8500-9000.
I don't think skier compaction helped much with the dry spell facets as sandbox was deep., The sandbox we were having fun playing in during the dry spell are now unstable. It was very good facet skiing all the way till early Feb,
Increasing danger with new loading. There has been 3 avalanchee in mineral drainage in the past week.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wet Snow
Problem #2 Comments
Rollerballs east facing 10:00am. 10:30 cinnamon buns/pinwheels. Greenhouseing w high cloud arrival at 12:00. Bad suction cupping (very very slow riding) 8700' and below right at noon. Clouds appears to be thickening on our noon exit. Guessing widespread snow cook from noon greenhouse.
Comments
The avalanche on barrieto is impressive. Most of the crown is in the shade and protection (for facets) of the sub Ridgeline that sets the south boundary of barrieto. The debris almost made it up to the foundation of the mine office building where the creek comes out of the mineshaft. interestingly.... No tracks in or out of mineral on our arrival........
Second photo is older. Taken Friday avalanche is previously reported Thursdays intentionally triggered slide. There are several more pockets exactly like this higher on same ridge that are extremely suspect. The slopethat slide is NW facing however it's dual shaded by the main ridge and acts more like a NE slope shade wise.
I picked high danger for mineral fork based on our widespread collapsing and recent avalanches and I know there was loads of faceted slopes in this area. I picked high for tomorrow based on more loading.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
High
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
High