Pongau Grass Mountains

Avoid zones below glide cracks

Avoid zones below glide cracks

Avalanche danger is moderate. Main problem: gliding snow. Up to summit level glide-snow avalanches can trigger naturally at any time of day, esp. on steep slopes with smooth ground (grass, rocks) in all aspects. Avalanches can grow to medium size. Apart from the gliding snow problem, the danger of falling outweighs that of avalanches. Naturally triggered glide-snow avalanches are possible at any time of day, but skiers are unlikely to trigger them. Avoid zones below glide cracks.

Stormy winds have done their work on the high-alpine snowpack, variable surfaces should be expected during descents. Up to 2300 m the snowpack surface is riddled with water seepage channels, up to 2700 m there is a surface crust. Inside the snowdrifts from last weekend above 2700 m there are several icy films resulting from the fluctuating snowfall leels On high shady slopes there are faceted crystals beneath these films. The ground is warm, thus, the entire snowpack is gliding downhill over smooth surfaces.

On Friday, mostly cloudy skies, milky sunshine, heavier cloud cover north of Main Alpine Ridge, esp. in Prealps and Kalkalps. Good visibility, often diffuse light conditions. Light to moderate SW winds, stronger in the Prealps (50 km/hr). At 2000 m: +3 degrees. On Friday night, cloudy skies, getting heavy early Saturday morning.

The danger of glide-snow avalanches will persist.