Observation: Butler Fork

Observation Date
12/31/2025
Observer Name
Torrey, Davis, Hughes
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Butler Fork
Location Name or Route
Butler Basin
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Clear, calm. Warm temperatures but cool in the shade.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

There is minimal snow in this area below 8000 feet. The trail access is thin. You can mostly climb on snow from the parking lot, with short patches of dirt up until the Mt. Olympus wilderness boundary. Slopes with a north tilt to them stayed cold, and here the snow consisted of small grain Near Surface Facets. On a SE aspect at 9450 feet on a 25˚ slope, we found small grain facets. Given the warm temperatures today, this is likely to be an isolated find and not representative of steeper SE-facing slopes.

Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Problem #1 Comments

Digging at 8900 feet on a Northeast aspect we found a stable snowpack with 6-8 inches of settled snow above the Christmas Rain Crust. Here, the snow below the rain crust was a firm, homogenous layer of refrozen snow nearly 12 inches thick; below that, a thin layer of depth hoar remained on the ground and was moist. ECTX

Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
Coordinates