Best January snow in our memory – watch out for localized instability
We have enjoyed yet more snow over the past week providing great powder skiing and an awesome day on Sunday. The avalanche danger has reduced a bit but the risk level is still “considerable” due to significant pockets of instability and a widespread weak layer that persists across the region.
We are expecting less cold and sunny weather until Sunday and then yet more snow on Monday and Tuesday in colder weather.
Snowpack Conditions
The Meteo France bulletin highlights that even though the risk level is going down, do not be complacent. The instability may be localized now but it is real and present in many places. This is due to the fact the new snow fell on a layer of granular snow that had been created by a long period of cold dry weather in the New Year. This layer is a weakness that means the snow pack can easily be triggered.
Just to reinforce this, when skinning up a slope on Monday we heard three big woomph’s as we stepped on the snowpack. This sound occurs when you press on the snow and the weak layer collapses underneath. When you hear this make sure you stay away from steep slopes (we were on 10-20 degrees at the time so we were OK)
Meteo France point out that the risk is greatest where the snow has stayed cold (i.e. above 2200m and on NW to NE facing slopes.
The other new risk that will arise in the next 3 days is on SE to SW slopes below 2200m which will get warm sunshine and could start to slide due to melting snow in the snowpack.
If I get the chance, I plan to take advantage of the fact that the snow is good from top to bottom and it is possible to ski off piste to lower villages as well as on the higher sunny slopes. This makes possible some very long excursions.
Tip of the week
The biggest risk is on heavily loaded slopes facing NE to NW above 2200m where they are steeper than 30 degrees. Get professional advice before going onto these slopes. Or find other places where your own assessment tells you it will be safe.
Keep taking lots of pieces of information and putting them together – like pieces of a puzzle. You never have all the pieces of the puzzle, but by using things like the Météo France Avalanche Bulletin (which is free on their web site, http://france.meteofrance.com, and also includes a short weather forecast), you can start to get an idea of the bigger picture even if you don’t have all the pieces of the puzzle!
You can also see a full summary of all the definitions of the international 1-5 avalanche danger rating scale on my blog http://www.getoffpiste.com and a recorded audio summary on http://www.henrysavalanchetalk.com/free_information.html#riskrating
Have Fun and Be Safe!
