Rhemes Valley

The current avalanche situation calls for caution and restraint.

The current avalanche situation calls for caution and restraint.

The fresh snow of last week and in particular the wind slabs can be released by a single winter sport participant, caution is to be exercised at transitions from a shallow to a deep snowpack. Places where weaknesses exist in the old snowpack are especially dangerous. These places are barely recognisable, even to the trained eye. Here the avalanches can be released in the weakly bonded old snow and reach quite a large size, in particular on very steep northeast, north and northwest facing slopes at the base of rock walls and behind abrupt changes in the terrain. Whumpfing sounds and the formation of shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack are a clear indication of a weakly bonded snowpack. Careful route selection and spacing between individuals are recommended.

40 to 70 cm of snow has fallen since Thursday above approximately 1800 m. The sometimes storm force wind has transported the new snow significantly. Several medium-sized and, in many cases, large avalanches were reported. The new snow and wind slabs of last week are poorly bonded with the old snowpack in many places. The fresh wind slabs are lying on top of a weakly bonded old snowpack especially on east to north to northwest facing aspects above approximately 2200 m. In particular at higher altitudes snow depths vary greatly, depending on the infuence of the wind. On the windward slopes, ridges, hills and crests are heavily eroded.

The wind slabs are bonding only slowly with the old snowpack.