April 19

Porter fork-Pole canyon-Porter Fork

Elevations, slope angles and aspects

6200-10400, angles over 35°, north facing aspects.

Snow conditions

Rain to at least 10k beginning the storm left reminders hanging in the trees.

twigcicle

Cooling as the storm progressed added dense snow with a light density cap, also leaving rimed "snocicles"

snocicles

decorating trees near the ridge.

cicle-trees

Lingering cloud deck limited views but

silverbell-slab

I was able to see the rock slab in Silver Bell (slump below the glide crack) and Raymond.

raymond-slab

Both slabs show a little glide, no slide. Rain-snow sluffs also visible.

There was 2-4" of actual snow above about 8500' which skied like the top of a snocone on north facing descents.

Cooling by afternoon left a surface crust below snow line which was both breakable and not so.

Weather

Overcast to foggy skies with occasional patches of partly cloudy. Mild temperatures at lower elevations, moderate up high.

Wind was from the west , gusting over 25 mph along the ridge, moving a little snow.

cornice

Evaluation

Stable snow conditions, drifting on lee aspects was avoided.

Active wind drift potential at upper elevations. Wet activity with warming, deep slab and glide possible.

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