Caution: snowdrift accumulations blanket weak layers of old snow.
With increasing altitude, older snowdrift accumulations are prone to triggering. They are blanketed and thus, impossible to recognize. One single winter sports enthusiast can trigger slab avalanches. Also remote triggerings are possible. Danger zones occur in steep ridgeline terrain, in wind-loaded gullies and bowls as well as behind sharp drops in the terrain. Triggered avalanches can sweep away deeper layers of the old snowpack and grow to medium size. Such avalanche prone locations occur particularly on steep shady slopes and are not visible. Activities in backcountry require cautious evaluation of the terrain and avalanche dangers, as well as restraint. On sunny slopes, generally small-sized loose-snow avalanches can trigger naturally during the course of the day.
Snowpack
The 5cm of fresh snowfall, locally more, from yesterday and the snowdrifts from previous days lie deposited at high altitudes atop loosely-packed snow and a weak old snowpack surface, particularly on steep shady slopes. The snowdrift accumulations are blanketed, making them impossible to recognize. Avalanches by winter sports enthusiasts, remote triggerings and fractures forming on the snowpack surface confirm how prone to triggering the snowpack is.
Tendency
Avalanche danger will decrease only gradually.
Danger level
1800m
Avalanche Problem
Wind slab
1800m
Caution: beware snowdrift accumulations, they lie deposited atop a weak old snowpack surface
Small-sized older snowdrift accumulations in steep ridgeline terrain and behind sharp drops in the terrain are still prone to triggering. They are blanketed, making them impossible to see. One single winter sports enthusiast can trigger generally small-sized avalanches. If these sweep away deeper layers inside the snowpack, the avalanches can grow to medium size in isolated cases. Danger zones for avalanches triggering in the old snow occur especially in transitions from shallow to deep snow, for example, at entry points into gullies and bowls. Apart from the risks of being buried in snow masses, the danger of being swept along and forced to take a fall also require caution. On sunny slopes, mostly small-sized loose-snow avalanches can trigger naturally during the course of the day.
Snowpack
The 5cm of fresh snow, more locally, from yesterday and the snowdrift accumulations from recent days lie at high altitudes atop a loosely-packed snowpack and an often melt-freeze encrusted surface. Snowdrifts are blanketed, impossible to recognize. The fresh snow from Wednesday often blanketed the surface hoar. Particularly on steep shady slopes, there are often unfavorable intermediate layers inside the old snowpack which have persisted. Analysis confirms how prone to triggering the snowpack is.
