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Observation: Butler Fork

Observation Date
2/14/2020
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Butler Fork
Location Name or Route
Wilson, Butler Fork
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Direction
West
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Warm with mostly clear skies in the AM high clouds building in the afternoon. The day started out with S-SW winds up high switching to NW in the afternoon with increasing speeds and transporting the small amount of loose snow available down into the drainages.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Faceted Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Damp on the S end of the compass and will most likely be crusted in the am, wind crust and loose faceted snow on the E,W and N. The wind was damaging the small amount of powder that is left.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Cracking
Comments
Went to the Wilson Chutes to see if the rime crust was present in that terrain and also the E facing terrain in upper Butler Basin. Skied a due N line off the headwall of the Wilson Chutes the surface was recrystallized powder but the rain/rime crust was noted under about 6 inches of loose faceted surface snow. I could pick the crust up in plates and it was much more notable in this terrain than on the PC Ridgeline or Dry Fork. Facets were noted under the crust and on top of it. The increasing wind speeds were building wind slabs on the leeward ridge lines and cracking in these slabs was not uncommon. This same rim crust was present in the E facing terrain in upper Butler Basin as well. Not a big deal now but may become problematic with a load.
photos: rime crust in Wilson, cracking on the leeward side of the Wilson ridge line and growing cornices.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low