Observation Date
3/13/2017
Observer Name
Zimmerman Wall
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Butler Fork
Location Name or Route
Butler Fork
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
First cold morning in a while below 8,000 feet. Mostly Clear skies and a full moon made for a beautiful start to the tour. Some lenticular clouds were noted further south over Little Cottonwood Canyon. Temps were cold to start, but by 9am up in the "thermal belt" between 8,500 and 9,500 feet it was warm in the sun.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Melt-Freeze Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Snow surface received a good refreeze on Sunday night and this called for ski crampons on the skin up. East faces remained quite firm on the ascent from the TH all the way to the Triangle ridge toward Gobbler's Knob above Butler Fork. Southeast seemed to heat up the quickest and snow was punchy around vegetation or on certain portions of the ridge where the light breeze didn't cool the surface. Some small clumps of snow initiated in the hot powder just below our highest point on the ridgeline, but did not move more than a meter or so. It was possible to find a cold winter snowpack just below a 1cm to 2cm temperature crust on more open North facing slopes above 9000. Descent on due East was supportable and smooth from 10k to 8500. After one or two more good refreezes it will be true corn. The low angle slopes around 8500 to 8,000 are sporting genuine corn conditions that skied better than just about anything we covered.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Rapid Warming
Red Flags Comments
A glide avalanche was noted across the way in Broads fork on Blue Ice and the debris pile was sizeable yet fanned out. I hadn't seen this exact slide reported, but it was impossible to tell when it came down. Bonkers also had Glide cracks visible.
Significant Warming by 1230 during our exit was apparent, but we did not see any avalanche activity during our travels.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wet Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
I believe this issue will get going again and perhaps even lead to wet slabs becoming a real problem in the right places. Free water is already beginning to perc down through the upper snowpack to some of the myriad crusts. Will have to keep a close eye on temps and sky cover and time exits appropriately to manage this growing issue.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Cornice
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments
Shied away from all cornices today and made sure I was never underneath any for extended periods. Some of these beasts are really starting to sag and become quite rounded.
Comments
Photo 1: Glide Avalanches in Stairs. Center of frame is Blue Ice avalanche.
Photo 2: Raymond roller balls
Photo 3: East facing Butler and some older wet loose/roller ball action from days prior
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
