A capricious winter
A short look back at the tricky snow conditions of this early winter.
The start of winter 2013 brings special conditions to the Alps. The first (light) snowfalls of the season were followed by a long spell of fine weather, which encouraged the formation of a weak snow layer made of grains that cannot be made into a snowball (the famous depth hoar).
The following snowfalls covered this weak layer, making its structure unstable and treacherous, a bit like a floor (a snow slab) laid on a set of dominoes (a weak layer). If a skier unfortunately puts a foot through the floor, he starts the collapse of the dominoes, which ends up sliding the whole floor if the slope is steep enough.
The avalanche risk bulletins written by Météo France are one of the essential basic tools for planning a route at home, but once in the field they do not exempt you from keeping your eyes wide open and adjusting this assessment if necessary according to the conditions encountered.
Choosing tours is therefore trickier than usual, and to get the skis out calmly we preferred gentle slopes (<25-30°), both for the slopes we skied and those above the route. Indeed, since a release can be triggered remotely and set off a slab above, you must not be exposed to it.
The mildness of January 2014 tends to stabilise the snowpack at low altitude by moistening it, which kills the depth hoar, but on the other hand wet-snow avalanches are starting to occur! Nothing is simple...
To enjoy these beautiful days in the mountains with peace of mind, you obviously need to be well equipped (transceiver + shovel + probe), but above all it is essential to keep informed about current snow and weather conditions and to get trained in the use of your safety equipment.
Keep informed:
Guide avalanche - Météo France
Méthodes d'aide à la décision - ANENA
data-avalanche.org
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