Observation Date
1/12/2025
Observer Name
Gagne/Johnston
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Mineral Fork » East Mineral
Location Name or Route
Mineral Fork - East Facing
Comments
Field work focus was on mid elevations where the PWL remains more of a concern due to a thinner snowpack. Recent field reports in Mineral show an unstable structure with loud collapses reported on Friday on Highline, an avalanche on Mid-east Facing reported on Friday, and on Sunday, Jan 5, Trent and Drew were also finding a poor structure in East Mineral.
Today's field work focused on north-facing slopes at elevations between 8,000' - 9,000' (the ridgeline only goes to 9k so we couldn't go any higher.) The poor structure remains.
The three pits all had full propagation failing down in loose, dry facets in the bottom 30 cms of the snowpack.
Pit #1 at 8,000' ECTP22
Pit #2 at 8,600' ECTP19
Pit #3 at 9,000' ECTPV (failed on isolation)
Photo of ECTPV where the slab fell on my lap.
Discussion of what we found. Overall, the poor snowpack structure of a stronger slab on top of weak facets near the ground will keep us off of steep slopes where there is a persistent weak layer.
Video
We also took a look at the avalanche on Mid-East facing reported from this past Friday. The crown was up to 3' in places. The bed surface has since filled in, but it likely ran on facets.
We also noticed a long-running sluff on Bonkers and traveling along the ridgeline above East Mineral is always a treat.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
None
Coordinates