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Engelberg snow

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
so, just got back from Engelberg - skied Fri/Sat/Sun

Good news and bad news, bad first:

Our hotelier said it was the second-worst start to the season in his 20 years there (worst was 1989). There is no skiing on the Brunni side (it's green) and no skiing below 1800m except the run to resort which has been kept going by snowmaking, shade and grooming.

better news
Higher-up, the pistes are open (with the exception of the black off the glacier which is closed (although skiable) due to exposed glacier ice). They are firm to icy with some artificial snow chippings - hardly any rocks though

good news
Off-piste the snow condition are a bit variable but are definitely enjoyable. In gulleys and pockets you can find 2-3 inches of wind-blown fluff. Otherwise the conditions vary from some nice chalk to firm wind crust to wind-buffed hard-pack. We even found a little spring snow on the bit of the Jochpass side that catches some sun. Thin snow means that you have to be mindful of rocks (and crevasses up on the glacier) and the exits at Trubsee involve a good deal of character-building ingenuity to get through the bushes and rocks.

This was my first trip to Engelberg and I'll definitely be going back - amazing off-piste potential. Limited pistes mean its not really a good family resort though.

Extrapolating to other areas, well, Engelberg is high and north-facing and the snow was OKish. Anywhere lower and south-facing must be pretty unskiable.

J
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
cheers Jedster, off there late Friday, sounds like I'll have an enjoyable trip, especially if some fresh turns up!
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
I am going to Engelberg this coming Saturday for the third year in a row. The previous two years were superb off piste although on both occasions the snow arived just in time.

It's an SCGB off piste trip and the guides they use are excellent. If there is anything decent to be found then I am sure they will find it. The off piste was getting a bit skied out at one point last year so we hired touring skis one day and the way things are going I suspect we may have a lot of uphill work ahead next week.

I suppose good powder three years in a row might be asking a bit too much.
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someone to follow then richjp Wink

From the forecasts it looks like snow showers later in the week, maybe some more Sunday and early into next week....


cheers,

greg
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Excellent news - sounds like its not in a greatly dissimilar state to this time last year - at least I can't trash my knee on the Titlis-Stand run if its not open. Suspect Ptex will be required however.
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well snow-forecast currently shows light showers Wed thru Friday with F/L around 2400m, hopping up to 3000m Friday night, then diving down over the weekend with more snow Sat night and Monday, so I hope some or all of the precipitation happens!!

The GFS seems to back it up as well Smile

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 brian
brian
Guest
kitenski, snow-forecast is GFS data too.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
brian wrote:
kitenski, snow-forecast is GFS data too.


I thought they massaged it a bit?

anyhow the titlis.ch website agrees for snow Thurs/Fri.....Very Happy

Do any other models agree with the GFS Brian???

The snow-forecast.com FAQ makes interesting reading...does NWS provide them with GFS then???


Where does your weather model come from?

Although the actual snowfall forecasts are made using our computers at snow-forecast.com, the raw weather forecast data comes from the National Weather Service (NWS) in America; the largest organisation of its kind in the world. Serious weather forecasting requires massive computer power, vast expertise and an almost unlimited budget. Only a very few organisiations in the world can achieve this, arguably only two! If they are honset, most small weather companies derive their products from people like NOAA and ECMWF, and those that don't would probably become much more reliable if they did! To our credit we do much more than simply re-package NOAA products, but without them as a basis, our service couldn't exist at all.

We use the Global Forecast System (GFS) weather models for our input data. For our purposes these are ideal, not only because they are detailed, reliable and frequently updated, but also, because they are intended for aviation planning. Thus, they contain accurate descriptions of how conditions vary with elevation. This provides the key to how we derive surface temperature over a wide range of altitudes using digital elevation models. When we combine this with preciptiation forecasts, we arrive at snowfall.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
By the way, the off-piste is really buffed so if the snow is cold/dry when it starts falling then the avalanche risk could be epic. What you need is warm/wet snow to start with the temperatures falling as the system moves through.
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
It's gonna be warm first jedster, so will be wet snow I reckon!

Was the laub open when you were there??
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Nice one jedster,

richjp, are you following us around...?? where are you staying..?
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
JT,

I'm beginning to wonder who is following who??

We are staying at the Schweizerhoff near the station. It has a pleasant bar open to non residents so stop in and say hello. I am almost certain to be at the bar between 7.00 and 8.00 most evenings!

Where are you staying and who with?

The good news is that the weather forecast for Engelberg has improved over the last couple of days.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
richjp,

I am going down on friday, meeting kitenski and his mates and catching up with fatbob in the Yucatan. My mates come in on sat night.
I am over at the Cathrin.

I'll pop by and ask for rich..??
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
richjp wrote:
JT,

The good news is that the weather forecast for Engelberg has improved over the last couple of days.


That put the mockers on it, they appear to have backed off the amount of snow in the latest update Sad

regards,

Greg
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
kitenski,

The weather is poor here and it always looks like rain...if the mid Euro high goes then that will clear the way..... here's hoping anyway...
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
what a nice sight Smile

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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
was the laub open?

not even close, as I said no skiing below 1800m (Trochsee) excepte the run to resort. The Laub was mud and bushes (with some cover higher up). The nursery slopes below the laub were closed

glad there's going to be some fresh for you

J
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
cheers J, never been there before, so wasn't sure where the laub finished!!

Any recommended off piste areas we should head for on Sat?

Cheers,

greg
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The terrain is quite serious and route finding is not simple plus some of the exits are a little awkward at the moment. You'd do well to get a guide to introduce you to the area.

That said, I would concentrate on the Jochpass side, beside the piste and then skiers left from the top down to the 2 man chair.

you'll have fun

J
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
cheers, have been in touch with guide company, Roger is free Mon/Tues Smile

Looks like it's dumping high up there now with more forecast, hope the high winds die down so we can get up there!

cheers,

greg
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looks like the rain has done some real damage low down Sad

This is the webcam at Trübsee (1'800 m / 5'904 feet) with view of ski runs and chair lift "Trübsee-Hopper".



regards,

Greg
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 brian
brian
Guest
kitenski and the other Engelbergers, have a great trip, looks like the snow gods are set to deliver snowHead
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
cheers Brian, I hope they deliver before I leave Tues night, and that I can see to ski Mon/Tues!!

The titlis.ch seems to have backed off the snow on Monday though Sad
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Update

Fri 19

Mtn shut due to high winds

Sat 20

Clear that it had rained at least up to 2400m all offpiste pock marked with rivulet traces. No glacier lifts due to wind damage apparently so impossible to check higher but a tourist trip to survey the Steinberg suggested that it had snowed up at 3000m. Day saved by demoing some high end slalom skis.

Sun 21

Glacier still closed - high wind/oor vis rather han mechanical failure seemed to be the reason. Didn't actually ski but reports from JT suggested some fun to be had. Snow line had come down to I guessed about 1400m overnight but still needed substantial filling in at lower level for e.g. the Laub to be skiable without a very long hike out. Distinctly colder & promising cloud development before we left.

Overall Stand - Trubsee not in bad shape. Jochpass- Jochstock not bad either. promising for the future but i'd want rental skis and an appetitie for "adventure"before any serious offpiste at the moment - some serious consequences see thread on Piste
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