Swan Range

Enjoy generally stable avalanche conditions. Continue to practice safe travel protocols by traveling one at a time in steep, avalanche-prone terrain. Be mindful of warming temperatures and move to shaded slopes if you feel the surface become wet and gloppy.

A melt-freeze cycle is in full effect. Daytime high temperatures pushed 40 degrees F at 6500 feet yesterday (Sunday). Overnight low temperatures are in the low 20s. Today, freezing levels will rise to roughly 6000 feet. A refrozen surface, relatively cooler temperatures, and partly cloudy skies should reduce the amount of wet avalanche activity.

The best tactic for capitalizing on the melt-freeze cycle is to get up to your high point early and wait just long enough for the surface to soften. This allows for quality riding and reduces the chances of getting tangled up in a wet avalanche. If you step off your machine or ski and sink up to your knee in wet snow, then you've waited too long. Find a low-angle alternative or move to aspects shaded from the sun.  

A dose of uncertainty rests around meltwater making it to buried weak layers in the upper part of the snowpack. Yesterday, I found wet facets above the January crust. This weak layer is responsible for most of the avalanche activity in the past month. A structure like the one we have with liquid water can be a recipe for slab avalanche activity. In the same drainage I was in yesterday, another observer saw a large pile of wet debris that I did not observe earlier in the day. We are unsure if it was a loose wet avalanche or a slab avalanche. Thankfully, overnight freezes are helping the snowpack to slowly adjust to this change. 

If you choose to take advantage of the dry snow on northerly aspects, continue to be diligent about how you travel since buried weak layers still exist on those aspects. Travel one at a time and give rocky, complex-looking terrain a wide berth. Cornices are likely beginning to un-root themselves with warming temperatures. These are often referred to as “backcountry bombs” since they can tumble down and trigger larger avalanches below. These can fail spontaneously but are more likely late in the day when temperatures are warm. 

FOFAC Event: March 30th, 2023– Whether you're chasing tan lines, big lines, or both, you'll learn something valuable from FAC Lead Forecaster Mark Dundas about spring avalanche problems, how they differ from winter problems, and how to manage them. We will also discuss current conditions and concerns (or lack thereof!) with our spring snowpack. Enjoy a cold brew from Bias Brewing and a scoop from Sweet Peaks Ice Cream.

The event is free and open to everyone. Begins at 6 pm.