NE wind effects in the Swan

Out for an early season assessment in the Swan Range, we primarily had to manage for small, stubborn wind slabs left behind from the recent snow and NE winds.

• Up to 12" of new snow since Friday night has accumulated on a widespread meltfreeze/rain crust (Oct 25 crust).  The Oct 25 crust was omnipresent on all aspects above ~5500', knife hard and difficult to punch a ski edge or ski boot through.  
• Winds that accompanied the snow scoured north and east aspects down to the Oct 25 crust in most locations, and left drifts up to 2' thick in pockets behind trees or near ridges.  These were easy to identify and avoid because the snow was noticeably denser.  The drifts produced minor cracking that radiated up to 1' from ski tips.
• A targeted pit on a north-facing slope suggests that in this area, weak snow from early October was saturated by rain or warm temperatures and is not an issue.  The early season snow was a thick crust that appeared to be bonding well to the snow above it.  Coupled with the stout Oct 25 crust mid-pack, we had not current persistent slab concerns.  The new snow is starting to facet and could pose a future issue as it continues to facet under our current weather pattern of cold and clear.  
• We sought out wind protected slopes which had higher quality snow and no wind slab concerns, just some slow moving sluffs.