'mid' Swan Range

Toured and camped in the Swan Range (Upper Holland Lake area) prior to, and during the most recent storm.

• Monday- Valley inversions kept the cloud deck around 5500'. Above, sunshine was warming southerly slopes up to 8000'. Winds were light/variable and skiing was good. We skied a planar, low angle (30*-35*) E facing path off Waldbillig with no signs of instability observed. 

  -Surface hoar was observed on exposed, but sheltered, ridgeline locations, mainly on the North half of the compass (6000-8000')
  -A sun crust was forming on Southerly aspects, upwards of 8000'
   

• Tuesday- Awoke to a couple inches of dense powder and warmer temps (near freezing), winds from the SW/W began to increase and cloud cover was 100%. Skinning up Southerly aspects was cumbersome with dust-on-crust scenario. We skied a NW aspect in sheltered trees and found great riding there. 3-5" of fresh snow. Observed cornice release along exposed ridges (8000'), some triggering persistent slabs (D2-D3, to the ground) presumeably during the "solstice" cycle. (see photo) 
   
• Wednesday- Awoke to 12"-16" of heavy, dense snow and athough winds were calm at 6000', ridgelines were experiencing sustained, high winds from the W. Numerous storm slab releases (D1-D2) were noted in suspect locations, along convex ridgelines that harbored the recent surface hoar event, some in unsuspecting terrain. During our exit, a few D2 avalanches released off North facing chutes, many reaching the valley floor with associated debris 10-15' deep. 
  -In windloaded pockets, storm slabs were east to trigger and ran easily on the crust underneath, either capped by facets or surface hoar. (see photo) Some of these slabs broke above us as we skinned down the trail. 
  -Below 5000', storm totals diminished, and at valley locations, a rain/snow mix was occuring