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Observation: Soldier Fork

Observation Date
1/22/2025
Observer Name
Hardesty and Diegel
Region
Salt Lake » Mill Creek Canyon » Soldier Fork
Location Name or Route
Soldier Fork
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
North
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Clear and cold with light north wind.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Variable and that's putting a spin on it. Plenty of wind damage at all elevations. Some soft turns still available in the most wind and sun sheltered terrain.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
No wind loading today; just yesterday. Poor structure still noted in mid-elevation MCC.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
Route was Spruces>Lees Fork>Reynolds>Soldier ridge>MCC
From our travels, Tuesday's strong WSW-WNW winds produced more wind whales or wind plates than wind slabs and the north facing glades off the west Reynolds shoulder (photo 1) and the top of Soldier (photo 2) saw significantly more deposition than the east face of Reynolds (last photo). I would describe these "plates" as hard slabs, by and large, where you are on top of them rather than "in" them. They would occasionally crack out where the wind 'lens' would taper. No "shooting cracks" or collapsing noted. Still, these pockets were at all elevations and well off the ridgelines as well.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments
Becoming dormant and we're trending toward an overall LOW danger.
Snow Profile
Aspect
Northeast
Elevation
8,800'
Today's Observed Danger Rating
None
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
None
Coordinates