What a week! now for the sunshine.

With off piste skiing, it seems we are either waiting for more snow or fretting about the avalanche risk.  At the moment I would worry about the avalanche risk.  Val is reporting level 4 risk after a week in which between 1m and 1.5m of snow fell and fell rapidly not slowly.

Dom and his friends sucking up the powder in the Grand Montets near Chamonix today
see Cham photo album

 

The most stable conditions are created when the snow falls steadily in small amounts 10-20cm at a time and builds up slowly.  What we have now is 1m of fresh snow on top of a weak layer (especially above 2200m).  Above 2200m there has been no warming or rain.  Below that level the temperatures have been more volatile. which will stabilise things a bit more.  However from reading the bulletin great caution is needed every where.

 

Risk level 4 means it is possible to trigger a slab avalanche on a steep slope when you are on a less steep slope below it.  So with this risk factor, you not only need to avoid slopes greater than 30 degree angle, but you also need to ensure you do not ski too closely underneath a steep slope.  Or if you do, ski quickly lightly and one at a time, ensuring you gather together in islands of safety.

 

The outlook is for stable cold and sunny weather as far ahead as the forecasters can reasonably predict.  So a great sunny cold weekend awaits.

 

 

Future ezines will be on Thursdays - next one on 19th December