The start of our first proper storm

14 Dec 07

I shortened my trip into the backcountry today when I saw just how much snow had accumulated since I last went up there 72 hours ago. At 2000m there was 50cm of powder. I was up to my knees skinning. And the forecast storm hasn’t even started yet. After leaving Japan 4 years ago I have to readjust away from European snowfall back to Japanese standards.

The new snow that started out warmer has bonded to the old sun crust that was created when I last went up. I didn’t find any deep instability in at that interface, which was already 50cm deep as of midday Friday (snow profile). After this weekend’s storm it will be well buried. I did find shallow (15cm) instability on different density layers in the new snow. I purposely rode only a 20-25 degree slope (and struggled due to snow depth and lack of speed). On some steeper very short embankments (30-35 degree for 10m vertical) I was producing a lot of loose dry snow sluff that accumulated very quickly at the base. I would not ride anything steep right now.

Picture taken today at 1700m with my mobile phone, hence the grainy quality.