Avalanche forecast

Swan Range

Flathead Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Enjoy the recent snow and improved coverage while remembering you can still trigger a slab in the snow deposited over the weekend. Steer around pockets of dense snow which your skis, board, or machine ride on near the surface.  Recognizing bulls-eye data such as recent avalanches or shooting cracks will help you have a safe and fun day. Getting caught in even a small slide may have traumatic consequences due to the early-season conditions.  

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    The Swan Range missed out on most of the precipitation from the weekend storm. However, what the storm lacked in new snow was made up for by the wind. The Mt Aeneas wind sensor reported 6 hours of gusts greater than 80 mph! Expect to find slabs in unlikely locations such as further downslope than usual.  Snowfall and winds decreased Sunday morning, allowing our snowpack a bit of time to strengthen, but we are not out of the woods quite yet. As you gain elevation, look for areas of deeper snow, especially on leeward sides of ridges or downwind of saddles. Suss these spots out for slab characteristics such as stiff, dense, or textured appearance. Retreat to lower-angle slopes or sheltered terrain if you note shooting cracks.

    (12/11/2021)

    Consistent snowfall and strong winds drifted snow into reactive cornices along ridgelines. 

    Photo: Kevin O.

Avalanche Discussion

The weekend storm boosted our base and has dramatically improved riding conditions and access in most parts of the forecast area above 4000 - 4500 feet. Observations were sparse over the weekend, but several field observers Sunday noted snow totals that exceeded what the nearby WMR weather station reported.  A rider in the Stryker area enjoyed 1.5 - 2 feet of new and recent snow. At the same time, Cam found 30" of new and recent snow in Kimmerly. Most valley floor locations missed out on snowfall except in John F. Stevens Canyon, where the BNSF avalanche safety team noted 10+" at the highway level.

We elevated the avalanche danger to CONSIDERABLE at mid and upper elevations in anticipation of the forecasted snow totals and wind speeds. Observations Saturday from the Apgars and Middle Fork appeared to justify the elevated danger rating. However, Sunday's observations showed otherwise, with BNSF avalanche safety reporting harmless D1 sluffs from John F. Stevens Canyon. I was adjacent to WMR, participating in an on-the-hill refresher with the fine folks from the  Flathead Nordic Backcountry Patrol, and found overall good stability.  With decreased wind speeds and snowfall ending Sunday morning or afternoon, we have dropped the danger rating to MODERATE except in the Flathead Range/Glacier Park where the upper elevations remain CONSIDERABLE. The terrain in the Flathead Range and Glacier Park is much larger and more alpine than our other zones and often receives more wind loading and has overall larger start zones.

Preliminary Accident Report: On Saturday morning, December 11th, an avalanche fatality occurred in the Silver Basin area of Crystal Mountain Ski Resort in Washington. See the accident summary for additional details.

Regions covered