November 9
Mineral Fork
elevations, aspects and slope angles:
7300-10700', northerly aspects, angles over 35°.
Slopes skied:
Room of Doom, ne facing continuing down for boot hiking out between 8-8500'.
Weather:
Overcast with mild temperatures and a snow flake or two. Occasional wind, gusting to around 20mph from the south.
Snow conditions:
There was enough snow on ascent to skin from the trailhead. Waxing the skins seemed appropriate as trailhead snow was 4-4' deep and isothermal. Amounts gradually increased and snow temperatures cooled. Above about 8500' layering was retained.
Mild temperatures melted low elevations snow out to bare ground during the day.
Upper elevation snow, at the surface, on shady slopes had dried out, providing good dense and creamy skiing.
Off aspects at all elevations showed evidence of wet activity, limited to rollers, small and scattered up high, larger and widespread at mid and lower elevations.
Snow pit:
Evaluation:
Dense well consolidated snow conditions. Current weather guess of 3-5" new would not be enough to overweight any deeper lingering weak layers. Instability would dependent on new snow amount and new-old bonding.
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