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Observation: Butler Fork

Observation Date
11/29/2024
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Butler Fork
Location Name or Route
Butler Fork
Weather
Sky
Clear
Weather Comments
Sunny and clear, no wind in the terrain covered.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Boot deep powder on the E, N, W , damp or melt freeze crust on the solars.
Snow Profile
Elevation
7,200'
Comments
Headed up Bulter Fork for the first time this year, wanted to check out the mid elevation snowpack. Pretty thin down low but a surprising amount of snow above 8900ft. Looked at the snowpack on a N-NE slope around 9300ft, wind protected and shady. Whole different snowpack out of the exposed higher terrain, almost 2.5ft of snow, no slab, basically a right side up snowpack with just a small layer of facets at the bottom. The south facing off the Millcreek ridgeline is basically dirt, but the mid elevations, that are shady and protected in the terrain covered is in better shape than most of the terrain i've been to so far. Access is a bit rugged as is the exits. At this point in time Im thinking a week plus of high pressure is going to facet out the entire snowpack in most locations due to the thin coverage, and a large temperature gradient, hope Im wrong .
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
Coordinates