 Poster: A snowHead
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There was lots of talk in the past week about a very dangerous layer of hoar frost around, and with all this fresh snow around, I wondered what conditions were like?
Cheers,
Greg
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Avalanche risk 3 in Verbier has been since at least Christmas.
Lots of talk of deeply burried weak layers. Not surprising as there has been some very varied weather for a while. Especially some very cold before Christmas, mild with rain below 2000m after thens snow then quite cold again.
In Bruson today it was easy to see some obvious layering on the roofs of piste side buildings where the snow has not been disturbed I didnt go poking at them to see which are week or strong but there were a few thin ones half way down.
I've seen where 2 small slabs have slid on steep slopes of opposite aspects.
There was 1 fatal slide in Bruson at the weekend.
Ive been sticking to the open itinery runs and less steep bits of off piste along them and having a blast.
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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?
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Spoke to an instructor I know in 3V who is normally really up for off piste but he's staying on piste right now
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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RPF, Hi, in Verbier from Saturday, do you think the Vallon d'Arbi/Col des Mines is a safe itinery with an avalanche level of 3? . V sad about the slide in Bruson I guess it was in the bowl above the drag lift, there has been a few avalanches there over the years
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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High in Scotland too, there's been a massive amount of snow there (no rain like parts of the Alps) and conditions are stunning but the avavalanche risk on some aspects is now very high.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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thunderer, Last I saw (Yesterday) that itinery is still closed. I will check the boards for you tomorrow and Friday and post here.
It may be due to lack of cover lower down rather than avi risk but if its not open I'll not be on it.
Snow at lower levels is hanging around so another good dump would go along way.
There is plenty open now and lots of good snow albeit mostly tracked on and off piste so you should get lots of good skiing.
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Pretty stable here in Sainte Foy at the moment. Yes, there's been a buried faceted layer, but the heavy snowfalls this week have caused some big natural slides on the steep stuff, which has mostly swept things clean. We rode the Fogliettaz today (40° at the entrance) and it was stable.
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RPF, Thanks look forward to your post
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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thunderer,  Its open. Didnt ski it yet.
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The wind hasn't helped either, it was snowing uphill at the weekend .....
Here in Austria the avalanche warning level is low but significant snowfall over the weekend could change that .....
http://www.avalanches.org/home_austria/
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hey kitenski,
At the moment & round here (Vanoise) there is a split above/below about 2100/2200m (where it rained to last week). Above this it is still definitely unstable (2 skier-created avalanches in the 3 V in the last 2 days), below this it isn't too bad as a thick rain crust is 'isolating' the buried hoar layers to a lesser/greater extent and above this, although there is an extra rain crust a bit higher, the snow as a whole is moderately well bonded...
An isolated block in a pit today at 2000m on a NW facing aspect at about 30 degrees took an awful lot of moving & finally sheared on the higher rain crust layer.
****Disclaimer***** this is information I have gleaned through personal observations and is my interpretation of conditions, in no way does this imply anywhere is safe *****/Disclaimer*****
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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.
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cheers all, hopefully we can keep this thread updated to build a picture of what is happenning and thus build up some historical info thru the season....
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kitenski, from Saturday in Verbier, backside of Mont Fort looked very loaded. Decent wind crust on the exposed faces. We waited around and followed a couple of guided groups down. None of the faces had slid. Didn't see any avalanche debris anywhere to be honest. The Sunday before my mates saw a guy caught in a big slide in the big couloir on the left as you go up the Attelas chair. Took him 200m fortunately he popped out the bottom. I guess there has been some consolidation this week. in Chamonix on Sunday and didn't see any avalanche debris - lots of big open crevasses mind.....
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You know it makes sense.
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Some friends identified hoar layers at the bottom of the snowpack on a west facing slope in Bruson at about 2200m. Although the snow pack was stable to their tests at that time it is worth bearing in mind these weak layers are present likely to be persistent.
The general Avalanche level here is still at 3.
Very little fresh snow for over a week.
Currently cold with clear skies.
10-15cm forecast for Wednesday freezing level 400-700m
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