Snow report Grisons, 12/12/2018

Snow condition

At the starting point at just over 1500 m about 50 - 60 cm, from 1800 - 1900 m then 1 m (picture 2), higher up the snow cover only increases slowly. In blown-in areas sometimes 1.5 m+. As these are purely south-facing slopes, I assume that this is all fresh snow. There are still a few stones sticking out on the ridges, but for the most part you can keep your skis on there too. Also skiable in the forest without any problems, no contact with the ground at any time. As I said, these are south-facing slopes and the Schanfigg is not such a snow hole, so I'll just say that the slopes rarely have so much snow and give them 4 stars (on a small scale). On a large scale, it should objectively be 3 stars from around 1500 m upwards.

Snow quality

Powder, from bottom to top and all day long, despite the south-facing side. Not the easiest, but still very good. It was a bit too heavy or too deep for the flat spots. Or my board was too badly waxed... It was a bit more powdery in the forest aisles. You could tell it had settled since yesterday lunchtime. There was a wind crust near the ridges.

Drift snow was covered by some fresh snow, but you could still see where the wind was at work. Nevertheless, it felt good, for tomorrow a 2 is announced above 2200. The neighboring summit (2400 m, picture 7) with areas over 30° was skied and nothing slipped. I personally skipped the last part of the ridge of "my" summit (2300 m, picture 5). Troughs near ridges are blown over meters high (picture 5, left). Fish mouths have been seen in isolated steep places in the otherwise less than 30° steep terrain. I heard several blasts from the Arosa-Lenzerheide area, and there was also a decent snow slab on the Fulenberg (?) (picture 8).

Overall impression

A fantastic start to the season! Powder and sunshine galore, hardly anyone out and about. The long journey from the Allgäu was worth it.