Observation: Swan Flats Area

Observation Date

1/22/2026

Observer Name

UAC Backcountry 101

Region

Logan » Swan Flats Area

Location Name or Route

Garden City Bowls

Weather

Wind Speed

Calm

Weather Comments

Calm winds and temperatures hovering above freezing during the day. A few clouds dusted the sky.

Snow Characteristics

Snow Surface Conditions

Faceted Loose

Melt-Freeze Crust

Snow Characteristics Comments

Slopes exposed to the sun remained firm and crusty even through our exit at 3:00 PM. All other snow surfaces are weak, faceted powder. Old tracks remain firm.

Avalanche Problem #1

Problem

Normal Caution

Snow Profile

Aspect

East

Elevation

8,600'

Slope Angle

0°

Comments

Today we traveled to Garden City Bowls for a day of learning on the snow. On solar slopes, snow surfaces were firm, crusty, and slippery throughout the day. Soft, weak, faceted snow can be found on shady, cold slopes. Surface hoar and faceting in the upper snowpack were found everywhere snow existed, even on south-facing slopes below the surface crust. We did not observe any red flags.

Surface crust on solar slopes