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OFF PISTE SNOW REPORT Brought to you by Henry’s Avalanche Talk www. henrysavalanchetalk. com
Chardonnet couloir, Tignes on Tuesday. This was a sunny day following 20cm or so of fresh snowfall. Two off-piste skiers were caught by an avalanche that they triggered on a second lap of the same route they’d taken 20 minutes previously. One of them was flown to hospital in an unconscious state after being buried for 10 minutes.
The week ahead promises to be very similar, and will be another tricky one as far as avalanche danger goes. Temperatures will be yo-yoing again, with significant snowfall expected (sometimes rain) More unsettled weather before settling down a bit from Tuesday in the Northern accompanied by wind. French Alps! Recent history of the snowpack It’s been an epic week of off-piste skiing, There’s been a lot of very obvious with arguably the best snow conditions avalanche activity this week. You can spot it of the whole season! Following some from every chairlift. Much of this has been resort level rain on Thursday, we just had another night of fresh snowfall so we wake in the form of direct avalanches (naturally occurring), but some has been skieron Friday with avalanche danger rating 4 triggered too. again. There are a variety of off-piste conditions at the moment. We currently have some great powder snow conditions, light and fluffy in places (especially the colder high north’ish facing slopes), in others densified by the wind, but very skiable. With more fresh snowfall due next week, at least above 1800m or so, we’re hoping for more great off-piste skiing conditions, at least some days, next week.
With all the recent snowfall, and more expected next week, we’ll continue to see increased avalanche activity. Any rainfall will make the snowpack heavier and lead to potentially very large natural avalanches occurring.
There are large snow accumulations on leeward slopes. These areas could easily be triggered by the weight of skiers passing by. There’s also that weak layer in isolated After any substantial fresh snowfall we’ll, as places above 2700 m on the more shady N always, be choosing low slope angles, <30° facing slopes and on less-travelled routes. (the steepest part of a red run) to start with, Check out what the avalanche danger and keeping a wary eye out for any signs of ratings mean. recent avalanche activity. What is the current avalanche risk in the Northern French Alps/Savoie? Sadly (but predictably) sunny days after As we write, the avalanche risk is 4/5. fresh snowfall this week have seen a As we predicted last week, avalanche ‘powder frenzy’ with the off-piste being activity has been both spontaneous and rapidly tracked out with little/no regard skier triggered. This will continue to be for safety. There have been many skiertrue with each fresh snowfall. For any triggered avalanches/slides this week, specific points about snow stability, you most of them thankfully without serious need to check the daily avalanche bulletins, consequences. There was, however, particularly when any fresh snow comes. a serious avalanche accident in the
