Valgrisenche

Backcountry touring and other off-piste activities call for meticulous route selection.

Backcountry touring and other off-piste activities call for meticulous route selection.

Since Sunday the wind has been moderate to strong adjacent to ridgelines in particular in the regions of the north that are exposed to the foehn wind and along the border with Switzerland. Here sometimes deep wind slabs formed. These are lying on weak layers in particular on very steep north, northeast and northwest facing slopes. The soft wind slabs can be released even by a single winter sport participant. These avalanche prone locations are to be found in particular on very steep slopes and in gullies and bowls, and behind abrupt changes in the terrain. On steep slopes and at the base of rock walls and behind abrupt changes in the terrain natural dry avalanches are possible, even large ones in isolated cases.

Some snow has fallen since Thursday. 30 to 50 cm of snow has fallen above approximately 2000 m. The new snow and wind slabs are lying on the unfavourable surface of an old snowpack on rather lightly snow-covered shady slopes. Will be deposited on a crust on steep south, west and southeast facing slopes. In some cases the wind slabs have bonded poorly with the old snowpack. Avalanche prone weak layers exist in the top section of the old snowpack especially on shady slopes.

The danger of natural avalanches will decrease gradually.