Weekly report from HAT - 21/02/08
There is still been no snow as we predicted last week. There may be a bit on Wednesday or Thursday, but this is a long way away to predict.
If you believe medium term weather forecast models, they are showing considerable low pressure activity from 1st March with N and NW weather streams covering the Alps. We will be able to tell you more about this next week. But at the moment 1st March or 8th March look like good weeks for powder hounds.
Henry and Roddy describe what they are doing to find good snow in this ezine. We show pictures in this ezine of Alain Duclos doing some great skiing in the Maurienne. But they have all been for a hike to find it.
The risk level is going up from 1 to 2 on account of both the warm weather and some transformation of the snow in shady high altitude n facing slopes. So keep an eye on the bulletins.
Thursday in depth talks 18.00 at Dicks
We have decided to run the in depth as a more structured session. Here is a brief outline of the new structure.
Basically it will include:
Fab discusses ski patrol tasks, blasting, recco.
Video and presentation on weekly topic:
Search and rescue techniques
Snow metamorphosis and avalanche triggering Route selection Human factor
Current conditions
Weather and Avalanche forecast
Q&A
Tip of the week
We reported these risks last week and these remain the most serious risks to look out for. Many areas are safe but there are three main areas of risk.
Steep SE slopes are still creeping and gliding on the grass, keep clear Steep North wind loaded slopes above 2500m could still be triggered by a skier on the slope.
Watch out for the development of depth hoar now that the temperatures have been colder for 4 days and are forecast to stay that way for the next week. This will be reported in the bulletins when it is a risk.
So be careful, study the bulletins (on our web logs.) and read ski diaries from Andreas Henry and Wayne Watson of Alpine Experience.
Future ezines will be on Wednesday evening or Thursday.
Regards - Chris Radford - HAT ezine editor
Snow report from Henry
The snow gods have not been looking upon us favourably over the past couple of weeks, but at least we have a good stable base. I've never seen so many days in a row of avalanche rating 1.
I have managed to find some decent snow over the last few days, light unconsolidated snow ('frisette') in cold shaded areas where it is untracked, after a good walk of an hour or so. There is also some nice chalky snow around and some 'pisted off-piste' where people have skied a lot - mainly on the off-piste classics.
All decent snow has been on north-facing slopes. Any moves towards south-facing slopes have resulted in unpleasant surprises. Although I'm sure that some untouched south-facing slopes have started to transform into a nice melt-freeze layer and are making for some good spring snow. It is certainly getting warm enough!
Last week I mentioned a concern I have for the next snowfall: the return and build-up of angular crystals, 'frisette' and depth hoar on flat and shaded slopes above 2500 due to the cold temps, mainly during the cold clear nights, over the last couple of weeks. The renewed growth of angular grains and depth hoar is not a problem now; in fact it has made for some very nice skiing in some places! But, with the next significant snowfall, it will be a source of instability on shaded slopes that are not subjected to much skier compaction.
So that really means in places that are not 'pisted off-piste' and more on north-facing/shaded slopes (where most avalanche accidents take place) that have not been skied much. I have been out touring for the last few days looking for 'frisette' and there is definitely a lot of unconsolidated snow around on the types of slopes I just mentioned. It's starting to make up the whole snowpack in some places.
Tip of the week:
As I said last week, watch out for 'whippers' on smooth hard snow! A 'whipper' is when you fall and slide forever because you can't stop yourself. When it doesn't snow for a while the avalanche danger may go down, but falling and sliding becomes a real danger on steep smooth slopes especially if you slide into rocks or over cliffs. Keep your skis and boards on your feet.
Think snow; pray, pray pray for snow... maybe Tuesday or Wednesday!?
'Ride Hard Ride Safe'!
Think snow; pray for snow and 'Ride Hard Ride Safe'!
Henry
More from our intrepid Snowboarder (Roddy, that is)
February 14, 2008
An awesome day in another resort Headed over to Courcheval yesterday, met up with some BASI snowboard trainers from RTM (ski & snowboard school). After spending the morning on piste with some of their groups we left the pupils behind in the afternoon and headed to the top of the Courcheval bowl. After getting the main cable car to the summit we took a rather scary route along the ridge of the mountain we then hiked towards the main peak up and across 3 couloirs one of which included a 7ft drop we had to make with out our boards on.
I was glad I wasn't the first one to have to jump! After about 30mins of hiking we reached the entrance to a wide north facing couloir were the snow was superb. We were very surprised to find such good snow so long after a snow fall on a Hazard rating of 1. We got some wicked turns and the whole experience was well worth the effort.
Check out more stories at Performance Snowboarding.
