Tobias Kurzeder

Föhn occurs when moist air flows over a mountain range or a mountain. In the process, the air masses have to rise and cool down. Moist air becomes around 0.5 degrees C colder every 100 meters of altitude.

Our weather is determined by the alternation of high and low pressure areas. High pressure usually means nice weather. In summer, a high pressure usually causes nice and warm weather, whereas in winter it means nice but cold weather. Low pressure areas bring the longed-for snow, provided the air masses are cold enough.

If you look out over Lake Constance on a clear day, the Säntis summit (2502 m), which is covered in snow for much of the year, rises out of the rugged Alpstein massif. The Säntis is rewarding not only because of its wild terrain, but above all because it is one of the snowiest areas in Switzerland.

The 4634 m high Monte Rosa is the mightiest mountain in the Alps. Although Mont Blanc is more than 150 m higher, it is surpassed in mass and size by Monte Rosa. The ascent to the lofty summit is also considered much more challenging than the classical Mont Blanc route.

In 1896, ski pioneer W. Paulcke climbed the 3327 m high Oberalpstock in the Grisons Oberland. This ski tour was the very first ski ascent of a three-thousand-metre peak in the Alps. And what the pioneer achieved with his old wooden skis and without the support of a ski lift should be no problem for us 112 years later?

Bedretto, on the south side of the Gotthard, is rightly considered one of the most beautiful corners of the Swiss Alps. There is almost always an impressive amount of snow there and, as the Nufenen Pass is closed in winter, ski tourers who are out and about here are usually on their own.

Developed by PowderGuide in cooperation with the Tyrol Avalanche Warning Service. Made possible by the support of our partners. Print run: 500,000 copies, available free of charge in sports stores and many winter sports resorts. The avalanche risk checklist is currently out of print!

With the help of cable cars, lifts and subsequent short ascents, even inexperienced freeriders can reach high alpine, extreme terrain. We are in areas that hardly anyone would have set foot in voluntarily 100 years ago. That's why we should always observe a few extremely important basic rules in the mountains.

Nine avalanche deaths in Jamtal", "12 dead winter sports enthusiasts on the Kitzsteinhorn", "Craig Kelly dies in avalanche" - these were the headlines last winter. What did these terrible accidents have in common? None of those involved were ignorant Northern Lights greenhorns, but experienced alpinists, freeriders or mountain guides.

Mountain-Knowledge? or in non-English and slightly less hip terms: Moutain knowledge. Here we provide you, at least in theory, with our concentrated snow-how. But beware! Knowledge is silver, application is gold?

If water-rich air in the atmosphere is cooled to well below 0° C, tiny ice crystals form. Depending on the conditions under which they are formed, over 6000 different crystal forms can occur. All have a uniform, hexagonal basic shape. If several crystals join together, snowflakes are formed. At temperatures around 0°C it snows large flakes, when it is extremely cold, only individual crystals. There are different types of fresh snow.

Even before the snow reaches the ground to form our beloved powder, it is often already changed in the air. The wind shatters the snow crystals, which fall to the ground as fragments. Here, the strong ground wind can transport the "debris" further and drift snow is created. Even if this snow looks very similar to powder, it reacts completely differently to loads.