Lars Oelmann

For weeks, keen freeriders have been wandering through the vastness of the Alps in search of powder, like whalers on the ocean in search of lantern oil or pirates in search of bounty. For a long time, there was nothing in sight. But now, finally we can hear: "There she blows, dump backboard ahead!" and there's snow again in the north-western Alps.

Merry Christmas from PowderGuide, it's always nice to get something extra for free. Ullr also gives us something extra for the last alarm.

The year is 2025 AD. The entire Alps have been conquered by drought. The whole Alps? No, a small Ullian village in the southwest of the Alps is resisting the invasion.

"You don't have snow for ski touring in Europe? Let them go heli-skiing in Alaska!". This famous quote from Marie Antoinette about the frequent situation in early winter in Europe famously led to the snowflake revolution of 1999.

Dr. Ullrstein stands impatiently in his laboratory and attaches power cables to season 2025/26, which is laid out in front of him. At the end of October, his capacitors have enough energy for a first power surge and something twitches through the early season.

The life of a cowboy is dusty, hard and full of hardships, just like the freeride season 24/25. But just before Ullr sends the season into retirement, he calls us back to the powder rodeo.

The Austrian national anthem describes this season well "Since early ancestral days borne the burden of a high mission, much-tested Austria. Much-tested Austria."

Yay! another alert, but it's probably getting too warm. The last alert was perfect, but this one is just glop©* *the © is silent and is only important because PowderGuide owns all registered naming rights to this water-saturated fresh snow.

Well, after warming up with the alert limit in Alert 7, Ullr our favorite god finally gives us some real snow. The only downer: it snows the most where there is little snow and where the foundation of the snowpackis rather dangerous.

After weeks of drought, there is finally some hope – at least in the south. This small snowfall could be just the beginning.

Not so long ago in a mountain range close close by..... DROUGHT. The stars don't lie. At least not the ones in the PowderGuide ConditionReports. One star, two stars. There's rarely more for the snow conditions at the moment.

This Chinese curse (all Sinologists roll their eyes because the oracle is giving out dangerous half-knowledge) describes our coming days quite well. But the oracle wants - no, has to - write something now, even if a lot is still unclear for Friday/Saturday, because it's snowing. And it's actually snowing right through to Saturday with short breaks.