Observation: Porter Fork

Observation Date
3/24/2025
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Mill Creek Canyon » Porter Fork
Location Name or Route
Porter Fork
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
A few clouds covering the highest peaks in the AM, clear in the PM. Moderate winds from the NW, that were still getting down in the drainage bottom.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
All kinds of snow conditions today, mostly bad. Melt freeze crust on almost everything in the AM, quickly transitioned to damp or straight up wet depending on aspect, a little dense, settled powder above 9000ft in due N, shady protected terrain, wind, and heat crust on the exposed higher elevation NW terrain.
Comments
Was hoping the powder party was gonna last one more day but it didn't in the terrain covered. Didn't really seem like the snow got much of a refreeze last night due to the lingering cloud deck last night and this morning. As I said before we did find some soft turns but they were limited to a elevation over 9000ft and we only made it to about 9800ft. There might be softer snow up higher but the problem with the high alpine terrain is that it's been getting windjacked from the strong NW winds the last 3 days. Maybe with a couple cold clear nights the high N might recrystallized a bit but the forecast is calling for above freezing temperatures at night the next few days and very warm high daytime temperatures.The clouds kept the NE cool in the morning but I would expect the wet activity to increase tomorrow.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
Coordinates