Skiing toward the Swan Range by Chris Gotschalk.
Swan Rangers saw the weather go from major cold to a major thaw during their outings this past week!
Click here or scroll down for the Rangers' photos and details!
In our lead photo, Chris Gotschalk shows that snow was still in pretty good condition for skiing last weekend . . .
. . . even though ice was beginning to thaw on the Swan River.
Ruth Quist confirms snow turned to rain as temperatures swung from -40 to +40F in a week!
Norma Linsky confirmed that, later in the week, "it was a decent ski once we got through the crust"!
And Dani Mayberry confirmed that, while all the snow has melted out of the lower elevation trees, there's still snow on them higher up on the Swan Crest.
Pat Jaquith shows that this cow Elk doesn't seem to mind shrinking snow depths for finding buried grass to feed on.
Pat Jaquith also got a good shot of a Pine Grosbeak eating the buds off a Larch limb!
Keith Hammer got this low-light shot of a young Goshawk returning for a second day of feeding on a Wild turkey it killed in his garden, and . . .
. . . the Gowhark kept its eye on him as it fed!
Upcoming Nest Closure: In our parting shot, Keith Hammer provides this MT DOT Facebook post to remind people this is the last weekend to see the landmark (but rotting) Ponderosa pine snag and Osprey nest next to the Beardance Trail and Highway 35 because it is going to be taken down Monday to keep it from falling across the highway and power lines!
If you have interesting photos of your outings, send them along with a description to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and we'll try to work them into these weekly reports!