Berchtesgaden Alps

Number of avalanche prone locations increases with ascending altitude.

Number of avalanche prone locations increases with ascending altitude.

Avalanche danger above the timberline is moderate, below that altitude avalanche danger is low. The main problem: snowdrifts that can be triggered as small to medium-sized slab avalanches even by minimum additional loading. Avalanche prone locations are located in steep ridgeline terrain in NW-E-SE aspects as well as in wind-loaded gullies and bowls. At lower altitudes also sometimes in steep forest aisles. At high altitudes, avalanches can in isolated cases fracture down to weak layers embedded in the old snow. Frequency and size of danger zones increase with ascending altitude. Isolated smaller glide-snow avalanches can trigger naturally on steep smooth grassy slopes in all aspects.

On the shady side, new snow and snowdrifts are deposited atop an unfavorable old snowpack surface consisting of expansively metamorphosed crystals, or -- in particular at lower altitudes -- surface hoar. Weak layers can also be embedded in the snowdrifts and are prone to triggering. Snowdrifts are sometimes blanketed by loose snow; difficult to recognize. Due to solar radiation the loose snow looses its firmness. In shady high altitude terrain there are locally weak layers embedded in the old snowpack consisting of graupel or faceted (expansively metamorphosed) crystals. In isolated cases such weak layers are still prone to triggering. The snowpack base is moist down to the ground, gliding movements are not excluded.

Increasing danger of wet avalanches as a result of rainfall up to higher altitudes.