Read the actual conditions

Read the actual snow conditions and you can predict where the snow will be best

 

We have seen quite a few changes to the snowpack over the past week,  It has been one of those weeks where you cannot rely on the advice of your mates who tell you they found great snow yesterday in place xxx.  The wind and sun can change it all very rapidly and what was good yesterday may not be good tomorrow.  You have to read the conditions both before you go and when you get out there.

 

Any good off piste guide will know about the recent weather and recent snow reports and may well have advice from his team colleagues.  But you will always see them go and look at the actual conditions when they get out there.  When you see good snow (or bad snow) make a note of the altitude and aspect and shelter.  It is likely that in the same circumstances elsewhere, you will find similar quality of snow.  Today I found perfect powder in sheltered bowls facing south east at around 2500m in Tignes.  This was replicated later on Bellevarde.

 

The other evidence to look for is obvious signs of danger.  There are a number of small cornices with wind loaded slopes underneath.  This could be deduced by looking at the wind direction and the shape of the snow on the slope.  On 2 occasions we avoided crossing some 35 degree slopes with great powder just because we were not sure about the effect of wind loading.  A more experienced guide may have deemed it OK, but we were not sure so we played safe