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Location Name: 
Forecaster Observation - Swan Range
Observation date: 
Thursday, March 10, 2022 - 21:15
Is this an Avalanche Observation: 
Yes
Observation made by: Forecaster

Tabs

Quick Observation

Day off trip into the Swan Range in search of better skiing. 

  • 3 to 6 inches of recent snow sitting on a slick rain crust above roughly 5500'. Only a dusting below that elevation. 
  • Isolated slabs of drifted snow above roughly 6500'. Wind slabs are small (D1) and mostly unreactive. 
  • Observed one very large slab avalanche on the west face of Great Northern. Size and timing are difficult to assess since it was observed from 13 miles away. Crown could be 2 to 3 feet, or could be 10 to 15 feet thick. Uncertain if it was recent, or last week during the Atmospheric River. 
Snowpack, Avalanche, Weather Images: 
Travel Details
Region: 
Swan Range - West Side (Flathead Valley access)
Activity: 
Skiing
Snowpack Details
Snowpack and Weather Details: 
Hide Terrain
Elevation of observation: 
3500-5000 ft
5000-6500 ft
Above 6500 ft
Aspect(s) of observation: 
N
S
W
Avalanche Details
Avalanche Details: 
Date and Time of Avalanche: 
Tuesday, March 8, 2022 - 10:00
Number of avalanches: 
1
Avalanche Type: 
Soft Slab
Failure Plane/Weak Layer: 
Unknown
More information or comments about the avalanche: 

Estimated timing of this avalanche. Very hard to pin down depth of crown given the distance it was observed from. 

Hide Trigger
Trigger: 
natural
Hide Terrain
Start Zone Slope Angle: 
40
Hide Size
Destructive Size: 
D3 - Could destroy a car, a wood house, or snap trees
Relative Size: 
R4 Large
Avalanche Length (Vertical Run): 
1500ft.
Avalanche Width (Average width): 
1000ft.
Avalanche Location: