HAT Snow Report for 8 January 2011

Stormy weather until midweek - forecast is for snow!

Off-piste Snow conditions

It didn't snow for almost two weeks before the snow forecast for this end of week and weekend. At the time of this writing the forecast isn't saying how much snow we'll be getting total, but stormy weather is supposed to continue at least through midweek.

Any snow is good snow!

Just about all the off-piste that you can access from a lift was tracked out not only in the Espace Killy, but in much of the Northern French Alps. So this new snow, however limited, is very welcome even if it has been accompanied by warmer temperatures and quite a bit of wind.

Snow Stability

A weak layer under the new snow

A very weak layer has continued to build up over the last two weeks as a result of the clear nights, cold temperatures and a relatively thin snowpack. For those of you who know the terminology, it is a cocktail of: faceted/angular grains, depth hoar and topped off with a layer of surface hoar in many places even up above 2200 metres.

The entire snowpack, in many places, is made up of these type of snow grains - especially on shaded slopes and North'ish facing slopes. I know this because it has been the best skiing during the period that we didn't have any new snow. Check out the photos in my blog and you'll see how good it has been!

BUT the more this older layer is buried by the new snowfalls, the more it becomes unstable and the easier a collapse can be triggered by your weight (a collapse of the weak layer is what can lead to an avalanche).


Henry’s Tip of the week

With more snow and wind forecast, I'm very concerned about the new snow releasing as a result of a collapse in the weak layer that I mentioned above (a collapse that you trigger!).

My tip for this week is to speak to the local professionals in your area especially the ski patrol ('pisteurs' in France). Many of these pisteurs will have been out on avalanche control early in the morning with explosives and seen firsthand what is moving and what is not. Ask them if and where they got any avalanches to release and ask them how stable the snow is in the area that you are thinking of riding in. They will never say that it's totally safe, but they will tell you if they think it's a bad idea (and I would take that as a 'NO').

I will be off-piste every day this coming week as usual, but I will be more cautious the more snow we get. I will be checking out the avalanche forecast (* see below) and I will be talking to the pisteurs about what they are seeing before I go out on to the slopes. If I want to play it really safe, I'll stay on low slope angles of 25° and less red run steepness and less).

* Avalanche forecast for the next day via http://www.henrysavalanchetalk.com/avalanche-forecasts-danger-rating . Scroll down the page a bit to choose your region (Val d'Isère and Tignes are in Savoie)
Ride Hard ! Ride Safe,

Henry

PS We can help you have more fun and be safe at the same time! Book online for
a talk (Tuesdays, 5 pm @ Dick’s in Val d’Isère) and an on-snow session on http://www.henrysavalanchetalk.com

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