Deferegger Alps East

The conditions are sometimes precarious for backcountry touring and other off-piste activities outside marked and open pistes.

The conditions are sometimes precarious for backcountry touring and other off-piste activities outside marked and open pistes.

The new snow and wind slabs of the last few days are to be evaluated with care and prudence. Dry avalanches can over a wide area be released, even by a single winter sport participant and reach large size in isolated cases. The avalanche prone locations are to be found in particular on wind-protected northwest, north and east facing slopes at high altitudes and in high Alpine regions, also on very steep shady slopes in areas close to the tree line. Backcountry touring and other off-piste activities call for extensive experience in the assessment of avalanche danger and restraint. In regions neighbouring those that are subject to danger level 2 (moderate) the avalanche prone locations are more rare and the danger is lower. At low and intermediate altitudes and on steep grassy slopes more gliding avalanches and moist snow slides are to be expected, even medium-sized ones. On extremely steep sunny slopes dry loose snow avalanches are possible as a consequence of solar radiation.

Over a wide area 40 to 80 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, has fallen since Monday. The wind was strong to storm force. The wind has transported the new snow significantly. In some cases the various wind slabs have bonded poorly with each other and the old snowpack. Artificially triggered avalanches and stability tests confirm the existence of a weak snowack. The old snowpack is weak in some cases, especially on wind-protected shady slopes.

Gradual decrease in avalanche danger.