Observation: Catherines

Observation Date

1/27/2026

Observer Name

Kelly, Hardesty

Region

Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Catherines

Location Name or Route

Upper BCC- Silver Fork- Pioneer Peak-Catherine's Lake

Weather

Sky

Clear

Wind Direction

Northwest

Wind Speed

Light

Weather Comments

Clear skies in the am, with thin high clouds building through the day. Winds started blowing from the west and dropped in speed on the ridgetops as they shifted more northwesterly. Temperatures hovered below or just at freezing.

Snow Characteristics

Snow Surface Conditions

Faceted Loose

Wind Crust

Melt-Freeze Crust

Rain-Rime Crust

Snow Characteristics Comments

Snow surface was a mixed bag of conditions. Lower angle untracked shaded northerly facing terrain had a soft faceted surface and on steep terrain (greater than 35 °) we were able to trigger facet sloughs 2"-4" deep and isolated to skis. Some zones were old beaten up wind board or melt-freeze crust on south and west facing slopes in the morning. West facing in the afternoon was starting to soften, but was not smooth enough for faux corn skiing where we traveled.

Red Flags

Red Flags Comments

None

Snow Profile

Aspect

Northwest

Elevation

9,900'

Comments

Snow pit on northwest aspect @ 9,940' in East Bowl was approximately 2' deep. Primarily dry faceted snow with a 1/2" rain crust near the ground with small dry facets below the crust (photo below). The snow is weak in this location and won't stand up to very much water weight when we get our next storm. The Christmas Rain Crust was starting to degrade underneath; and there was no graupel above the crust.

Coordinates

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