Ankogel-Hochalm Group

Wind slabs and weakly bonded old snow represent the main danger.

Wind slabs and weakly bonded old snow represent the main danger.

The fresh snow and the wind slabs formed during the snowfall are lying on top of a weakly bonded old snowpack on west, north and east facing slopes above approximately 2200 m. Especially here avalanches can be triggered in the faceted old snow. This applies even in case of a small load. Mostly avalanches are medium-sized. The avalanche prone locations are covered with new snow and are barely recognisable.

Up to 20 cm of snow, and even more in some localities, has fallen. As a consequence of new snow and a moderate southerly wind, mostly small wind slabs formed. The fresh and older wind slabs are lying on top of a weakly bonded old snowpack. They are bonding only slowly with the old snowpack. Distinct weak layers exist in the old snowpack. The old snowpack consists of faceted crystals. The snowpack will be generally subject to considerable local variations. Only a small amount of snow is lying for the time of year in all altitude zones.

The fresh and older wind slabs can be released by a single winter sport participant.