Observation: Mill Creek Canyon

Observation Date

1/15/2024

Observer Name

Zimmerman-Wall

Region

Salt Lake » Mill Creek Canyon

Location Name or Route

Millcreek Canyon

Weather

Sky

Broken

Wind Direction

Northwest

Wind Speed

Moderate

Weather Comments

Gradual clearing throughout the morning. Tour was from 1130am to 230pm. Temps were very cold in the shade and not much warmer in the few patches of sun at the upper reaches of the road.

Snow Characteristics

New Snow Depth

12"

New Snow Density

Medium

Snow Surface Conditions

Powder

Wind Crust

Rain-Rime Crust

Snow Characteristics Comments

At the winter gate the snow had a rain crust overlying medium density snow. As you ascend, the rain crust disappears around 6400'. The wind effect reached all the way down into the road corridor and dense snowdrifts existed along the side of the skin track.

Red Flags

Recent Avalanches

Heavy Snowfall

Wind Loading

Poor Snowpack Structure

Avalanche Problem #1

Problem

Persistent Weak Layer

Problem #1 Comments

Did not see cracking or collapsing today. Quick informal roadside obs showed 1-2' of strong dense snow over weaker faceted snow failing on isolation with a ski pole. The avalanches at the Thousands springs area were alarming and crossed onto the roadway where lots of people are walking/skiing. The roadside cutbanks also avalnched but appeared to be more storm slab related.

Comments

Avoiding avalanche terrain, a walk up MCC was the plan. Finding numerous roadside 10-20' cut banks had avalanched during the storm showed instabilities in the new snow. But the large, timber filled debris piles of the Thousand Springs avalanches were surprising. The debris was up to 2m deep in places and crossed the creek and went up the opposite side of the drainage. The two separate avalanches have been cataloged in the UAC list, and this observation is more a general overview of all the activity noted along the roadway. This corridor is full of hikers, sledders, and dogs. I did not see any warning signage in the area that there is avalanche potential along this route.

Photo 1: Thousand Springs West Gully

Photo 2: Road crossing with XC skier- no gear

Photo 3 : Thousand Springs East Gully

Photo 4: Thousand Springs East Gully Debris

Photo 5: Thousand Springs East Gully Debris 2

Photo 6: Cut banks near summer cabins

Photo 7: Hillside near Little Water overflow parking

Photo 8: Creek bed slab blocks triggered by adjacent avalanche

Video: Thousand Springs avalanches