Lars Oelmann

Ullr gets on his sledge and off we go for the Christmas dump. Well, except for the unfortunate ones who have to make their family visits out of the reach of the Alps, but even then they can really step on the gas again on the 22nd/23rd, if the resorts open up and you can get there at all.

What sounds like an erotic film from the 70s filmed with soft focus, which you used to be able to marvel at on linear television on private channels, is unfortunately the current reality, because even if Ullr sends us even more precipitation to our record-breaking base above 2000m, the inclined freerider will cry hot tears for the melted snow in the middle altitudes.

For the first time in years, ski resorts are opening earlier instead of later, there's more snow than at the beginning of March last season and it's cold too. Can it get any better? Yes and no.

You know it from soccer (that's the sport without skis that many people supposedly think is great. I once saw it on TV!), if a team somehow always gets everything right, or you always ski the right line on the same day, then that's a run.

They have all come to stay.

Tof Henry, freeride pro from Chamonix, and Chilean mountain guide Juan Señoret died on 11 October while climbing the Puntiagudo volcano in Chile. Henry was known for his spectacular ascents of the classic and less classic steep faces around Chamonix. He brought the "freeride style" to the ice walls and made big turns at high speed where others jumped over. Tof Henry was 38 years old and is survived by his son.

I actually wanted to write something about a "last hallali" or "Ullr's last attack", but martial war and hunting metaphors somehow have a stale aftertaste after the last year.

Just in time for the end of the season and the first of April, Ullr proves to have a special sense of humor and sends us another alarm. One wonders why he wasn't able to increase the frequency of alerts three months ago, but Ullr's disciples are patient and happy for any blessing.

This winter has been tedious, but at least something is happening again in March. Ullr really hasn't made it easy for us this year. Little snow, warmth, weak layers and so on. But spring is shaping up to be at least halfway decent. Another dump in March that's worth seeing and this time brings snow for everyone!

The alarm comes with a massive line of thunderstorms and will bring some powder to the Alps again. This time with less densely packed warm and cold air masses, which made things quite complicated last week: Saturday the west lost out on the powder roulette table and the north won, Sunday it was the other way around.

As announced, the snowfall continues seamlessly. Surprisingly, the snow line for this alarm is lower than feared at times. Ullr likes us after all! A strong westerly flow is also dumping a lot of snow, but no Californian records are in danger.

It's that time again! The end-of-winter powder hunt begins these days and Ullr is spinning the snowfall limit roulette while turning on the precipitation hose at the same time.