Ampezzo Dolomites

Wind slabs require caution.

Wind slabs require caution.

More recent wind slabs are mostly easy to recognise but in some cases prone to triggering. The fresh and older wind slabs can be released by a single winter sport participant in some cases, in particular on shady slopes above approximately 2200 m. Mostly avalanches are rather small. In very isolated cases avalanches can release deeper layers of the snowpack and reach medium size. The avalanche prone locations are to be found in particular in gullies and bowls, and behind abrupt changes in the terrain, caution is to be exercised in particular at transitions from a shallow to a deep snowpack, when entering gullies and bowls for example.

As a consequence of a sometimes strong wind, rather small wind slabs formed in particular in gullies and bowls and behind abrupt changes in the terrain. The wind slabs are lying on weak layers in particular on steep shady slopes. Faceted weak layers exist in the old snowpack especially on shady slopes. Snow depths vary greatly, depending on the infuence of the wind.