Red Butte Tour

Observations made during a 3 mile tour to Red Butte and South Gate Meadows in W, E, S, SE, N, NE, NW terrain:

• Height of storm snow (HST): 45-90 cm (18-36 in)
• Right side up configuration on all aspects (hardness F-4F-1F).
• Plenty of dry low density snow available for transport. Winds were calm to light. Very few signs of wind effect from the last storm beginning on 02/28/2018.
• No signs of cornices, wind slabs, or storm slabs.
• No obvious signs of avalanche danger including: no observed avalanches or whumphing or shooting cracks.
• Upper mountain obscured.
• Snow pits dug at two similar NE aspects showed slightly different structures and depths, but generally consisted of new storm snow with F-4F-1F hardness sitting atop a mix of rounding facets and ice layers or melt/freeze layers. Failures were stubborn to unreactive. Results from stability tests at two NE facing aspects at 7800 ft:
  • Location 1:
    • CT17 ↓ 30 cm  BRK x 2, CTN
    • ECTN17 ↓ 30 cm, ECTX
  • Location 2:
    • CT20 ↓ 95 cm SC
    • ECTN15 ↓ 40 cm, ECTX 
• Slope ski cut tests yielded no results (SCN).
• Ski Penetration (PS) / Boot Penetration (PB): 20 cm / 30 cm.
• Minor sloughs triggered on slopes greater than 35 degrees.
• Ski and riding conditions were as good as it gets in these parts.