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Observation: Butler Fork

Observation Date
1/3/2025
Observer Name
CStowe
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Butler Fork
Location Name or Route
Butler Fork to Soldier Peak
Weather
Sky
Broken
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Clear skies in the AM, with increasing clouds all day. Light wind in the drainage bottoms, but moderate speeds from the WSW above 9000' Unseasonably warm for this time of year.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Density
High
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
Wide variety of surfaces out here today.
Meltfrezze crust on the low elevations, which softened by the afternoon.
Cold dry powder still exists in protected areas.
Supportable wind crusts on the ridges, with dense windslabs on the leeward slopes.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Wind Loading
Cracking
Collapsing
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Lots of red flags today(and this whole week)
Snow Profile
Aspect
Northeast
Elevation
9,200'
Slope Angle
25°
Comments
Height of snow was about 125cm
Found 40-50cm of 2-3 mm facets on the ground with 4f hardness, they were damp.
However strong snow over weak snow is all we need to know.
It's been a few seasons since I have seen so much weak snow on the ground. Although the grain size is smaller and wet, its going to take a fair amount of time to heal.
Travel today was from 7k-9300', and has vastly improved, but still has many challenges.
No new avalanches viewed today, besides what were reported yesterday by Mark White. I was surprised by the connectivity on the lower Butler Basin and Lower Wilson Chutes avalanches.
Last night clear skies and a touch of wind erased yesterdays tracks. Smooth creamy wind buff and dense powder made for good turning conditions
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable
Coordinates