Observation Date
1/16/2023
Observer Name
Gagne
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Mineral Fork » East Mineral
Location Name or Route
Mineral Fork
Comments
Overall was finding a stable snowpack in Mineral Fork below 9,200'. I was checking snow depths from 8,000 - 9,200 and they are 2+ meters which is a likely indication of a stronger snowpack. I haven't been in Mineral since early December where I was finding a thin and weak snowpack and the November facets are now underneath 1.5 - 2+ meters of snow.
I also performed lots of quick tests looking at the density inversion from Sunday which is a layer of lower-density stellars down 40 cms with a denser storm slab on top. Overall, this layer seems to have healed since yesterday with no cracking. I was still getting some clean Q1 shears at this interface, but most shears were poor quality Q2. ECTN 17 down 40 cms Q2.
I suspect most avalanche activity with this (yet another) upcoming storm will be associated with wind-loading and this should be more of an issue at the upper elevations.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
Coordinates