Latest posts for the topic "Avalanche Risk"

Avalanche Risk

Fri, 26 Dec 2014 15:44:04 GMT

So finally the Alps is looking like getting a decent amount of snow followed by moderate snow for the next 10 days or so. Will be interesting to see how stable the snow pack is as there are plenty of risk factors.

1) High wind at altitude for last 2 weeks so wind slab must be a possibility
2) Tomorrow snow is coming on a strong wind
3) Shallow snow pack and pretty cold conditions on North slopes for last few weeks so potential for depth hoar

Pretty sure that not many will give any of these factors a thought over the next few days. Definitely worth making sure your group is well prepared and looking out for some of the indicators.

Re:Avalanche Risk

Sat, 27 Dec 2014 10:26:33 GMT

I was thinking the same. Not in a rush to go off piste just yet, can wait couple weeks. But it was nice to wake to almost forgotten sound of snow ploughs :) 20 cm on the balcony already!

Re:Avalanche Risk

Sat, 27 Dec 2014 14:52:37 GMT

http://www.meteofrance.com/previsions-meteo-montagne/bulletin-avalanches/mont-blanc/OPP03

Re:Avalanche Risk

Sat, 27 Dec 2014 15:04:29 GMT

Sheesh! Don't chance it folks. Stay indoors!

Re:Avalanche Risk

Sat, 27 Dec 2014 17:08:43 GMT

Yes, a number of roads have been closed by avalanches at times today.

With very cold temperatures over the next few days, the large volumes of snow that fell today are not going to stabilise... general avalanche risk looks like being Level 4 and very sketchy for a while.

Re:Avalanche Risk

Sat, 27 Dec 2014 17:27:24 GMT

Thought low temp would help keep it together?

Re:Avalanche Risk

Sat, 27 Dec 2014 20:30:03 GMT

Am more worried about wind then temperature, I think is wind chill which is driving it down. This lot has come on 70+km/hr winds and looks like will be 40km/hr tomorrow and a gale the day after.

Snow is really coming very hard again now in Chamonix, 50cm@1400m. Will be interesting to see what actually opens in morning. Poor visibility and strong winds = no helicopters = no gas exploders. Plenty of fixed Gazex dotted about so fingers crossed they feel they can make areas safe to open if winds allow lifts to run.

Re:Avalanche Risk

Sun, 28 Dec 2014 09:06:53 GMT

Still snowing here and not lightly. Opening is delayed, with only 2 lifts running, but more will open later. No wind at all until 2700 m and at altitude winds are reported to be very light. Went up yesterday but didn't last even 2 hours due to lack of any visibility. It was fun though and powder is light and fresh, not cement we were getting last year. North-facing slopes will be dangerous for quite a while, but we have enough South and West-facing slopes, just need sun to come out to let things settle a bit.

Re:Avalanche Risk

Sun, 28 Dec 2014 19:17:27 GMT

So good skiing to be had at GM this morning. No pisting had occurred which made first hr great fun and then a bit of a nightmare as it all got chopped up. Offpiste conditions are a bit sketchy, few double releases as we went through to rocks. Plenty of signs of avalanche activity and triggered a small slide first thing traversing. In hindsight not very smart as slid for 2m with it and manged to stop before a small cliff into a terrain trap as everything poured over. Basically anything over 40 degrees has slid and anything less than that with small roll overs is ready to go. Good quality snow to be found though if you can find a low angle pitch.

Re:Avalanche Risk

Sun, 28 Dec 2014 19:45:27 GMT

Just to add to above, typical hot decision making. We were an experienced group who has all discussed previous evening to stick on piste. Despite this we found ourselves at front of lift line checking beacons at 7:40 this morning (I guess we had already made decision to hit the powder). Lifts opened at 09:30 where one person in group suffered card clash. Hence instead of being first persons on untracked piste we ended up around 20th and missing out a little. Snow was great and 1/2 way down piste we cut into some fresh and soon crossed into bowl. Pretty quickly we made the wrong choice of going further down and in where first signs of avalanche activity were evident. No skins, so we were committed and soon into full spread out mode. Basically brain failure and poopy group decision making.

Re:Avalanche Risk

Sat, 10 Jan 2015 17:22:55 GMT

Re-posting of this one (bad language in video involved if you have minors about).

http://www.henrysavalanchetalk.com/avalanche-foglietta-north-january-5th-2015-ste-foy-tarentaise