April 1

Porter Fork-Mill A-Porter Fork

Elevations, slope angles and aspects

6200-10400', angles over 35°, all aspects.

Snow conditions

The snow surface was a melt-freeze-rime crust to the summit of Gobblers. It was stout enough to be quite slippery on the up.

frozen-track

Crust softened with warming providing good creamed corn like skiing into the afternoon.

Wet point release activity continued

wet-sluff

with several new sluffs on Raymond observed in the afternoon.

A little late on wsw facing into Mill A, ski cutting initiated several chest freezer sized rollers which ran to the choke.

milla-gulch

Weather

Partly cloudy skies, mild temperatures with occasional light wind from the west.

Avalanche activity

Another deep slab was observed in upper Mineral fork

mineral-slide

New snow wind drift releasing near the ridge produced a larger slide into older weak layering as it ran.

mineral-zoom

Timing? I'm guessing sometime yesterday(March 31) since the crown and debris do not appear to be covered by the little dense snow storm.

No activity except point release sluffing was observed in Mill B south or Broads.

no-glide

Evaluation

Stability was dependent on warming with softening occurring in a timely manner.

Would expect continued wet activity until cooling.

Weather guess has a storm suggested with, a rain-snow line around 10k when it arrives.

Wear your helmet!

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