Quick report
- Aspect
- Northeast
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading, Cracking, Collapsing, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Elevation
- 2774 m
- Slope Angle
- 25°
First pictures are showing general coverage.
The next series of photos were taken on the 20th of December. Most steep terrain on the 18/19th of December went through a natural avalanche cycle in Mineral.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Pretty much the entire drainage is weak and faceted from what I've seen. Today was the second time in Mineral this year and it has only gotten worse in the 12 days since I was last there. The snowpack is incredibly weak and faceted from low elevations to the upper elevations. We had many collapsed as we traveled in untouched snow. Basically every 15 steps - Whoomp. Right now there is not much of a load. But once this place sees some snow and wind it will produce a widespread natural avalanche cycle. </p> <p> </p> <p>The upper headwall as other surrounding terrain is just plain scary. We avoided all steep slopes today. </p>
Mineral Fork's snowpack is among the weakest I've seen; it compares to the PC ridgeline, American Fork and areas of Millcreek Canyon. Overall depths are 40-70 cm, with much of the snowpack faceted. The snow in the midpack (about 45cm down) is becoming depth hoar, and this will be a terrifying place once we see a significant load.
The mid-December storm (16th/17th) created widespread natural avalanche activity in Mineral Fork, with most of the steep upper headwall avalanching (see pictures from the 20th). These slopes that avalanched are shallow, and the bed surface has once again faceted completely.