January 24

Porter Fork summer road to Gobblers Knob

Elevations, slope angles and aspects

6200-10200', angles over 35°, north and west facing aspects.

Snow conditions

creep

2", settled, at the trailhead increasing to around 8" in upper elevation wind sheltered.

Rain crust from the beginning of the last storm extended to above 8500'

Wind started at about 9k, stronger with ascent.

winded

Upper elevation on the face was crossloaded drifting and scouring.

Ski cuts produced only isolated cracking, no movement.

Mid to lower elevation skiing was dense and creamy.

Weather

Partly cloudy skies, cool temperatures with increasing wind at upper elevations.

Wind was from the south, gusting to around 40mph.

Evaluation

The new snow did not have enough water weight to overload buried weak layering

Mostly stable snow conditions with isolated loose snow sluffing and wind drifting.

Caution would be advised in terrain with recent wind load and pre-existing shallow snow(east and northeast facing).

back

journal

© wowasatch.com