Observation: Snowbasin

Observation Date

4/3/2026

Observer Name

Berg

Region

Ogden » Snowbasin

Location Name or Route

Snowbasin / Porky Cirque

Weather

Sky

Broken

Wind Direction

Southwest

Wind Speed

Moderate

Weather Comments

Mostly clear skies transitioned to overcast conditions mid day. Above 8k temps were chilly in the teens with light to moderate WSW winds. Clouds were sticking around on top of the upper elevation ridgelines.

Snow Characteristics

New Snow Depth

New Snow Density

Medium

Snow Surface Conditions

Powder

Wind Crust

Melt-Freeze Crust

Damp

Snow Characteristics Comments

Around 7" of new snow from the past several days made for some enjoyable riding. Storm snow was light to moderate density with several shots of large grained graupel. By mid day snow surfaces on southerlies and easterlies were damp but soft snow could be found in sheltered areas out of the wind zone where the snow surface got wind crusted.

Avalanche Problem #1

Problem

Wind Drifted Snow

Trend

Same

Problem #1 Comments

Visible windslabs along the ridgelines. Did not see any evidence of recent slab failures but the drifts are there. Despite consistent winds I observed minimal wind transported snow during the day.

Avalanche Problem #2

Problem

Wet Snow

Trend

Increasing Danger

Problem #2 Comments

Cold temps and cloud coverage prevented wet loose activity but direct sun this morning caused some pinwheeling in the new snow on due east and south slopes. Where there was snow before the storm in the higher elevations the new snow now sits on top of a slick melt freeze crust. With increasing temps this weekend I would expect more activity.

Comments

Snowbasin uphill travel opened up this weekend.. and today will likely be the only day providing top to bottom coverage as most of the trails were bare ground below 7500' prior to this last storm. Despite the low snow, coverage in the upper cirques is holding on but the barrier to entry will only get higher. [Forecaster comment - Snowbasin has finished operations this season and this observation represents a backcountry snowpack at Snowbasin.]

Coordinates

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