Western Carniche Prealps

The wind slabs of the last few days must be evaluated with care and prudence in all aspects above the tree line. Backcountry touring calls for meticulous route selection.

The wind slabs of the last few days must be evaluated with care and prudence in all aspects above the tree line. Backcountry touring calls for meticulous route selection.

In particular in the regions with a lot of snow and on wind-loaded slopes small and medium-sized slab avalanches are possible. The fresh snow as well as the many extensive wind slabs can be released easily, even by a single winter sport participant, in all aspects above the tree line. Avalanches can additionally in isolated cases be released in deeper layers on steep shady slopes. The avalanche prone locations are to be found adjacent to ridgelines and in gullies and bowls and at transitions from a shallow to a deep snowpack. These avalanche prone locations are prevalent and are barely recognisable because of the poor visibility. Shady slopes where surface hoar has been covered with snow are especially precarious.

As a consequence of snowfall and the strong wind, fresh snow drift accumulations formed during the last few days. In some cases the various wind slabs have bonded poorly with each other and the old snowpack. Individual weak layers exist in the snowpack in particular on shady slopes. The snowpack will be generally subject to considerable local variations.

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