Snow report Saalbach / Fieberbrunn, 01/12/2017

Snow condition

The snow cover has steadily increased due to the recent snowfall. There was quite a lot of wind in the higher areas. Some places are heavily blown out. Overall, however, you can speak of good snow conditions. I would estimate the average snow depth on the mountain to be around 80 - 100 cm and the snowfall yesterday and today with slightly warmer temperatures (around 0 degrees in the valley) has also made the snow cover more compact. As a result, it's no longer so easy to get through to the surface, which means that the freeride fun can really get going in these conditions.

Snow quality

Almost perfect powder from the middle areas onwards, apart from the exposed, wind-prone spots with packed snow, with snowfall and cold temperatures forecast from next night. Tomorrow, perfect Champaign powder conditions are expected all the way down to the valley.

At low and medium altitudes, yesterday's rise in temperature in combination with the subsequent cooling will cause the old snow cover to solidify slightly, and fresh drift snow accumulations will form above around 1800 m with fresh snow and strong to stormy winds from the northwest. This drift snow is rather poorly bonded to the old snow surface and can therefore be triggered as an avalanche even with little additional load.caution in steep slopes near the crest, gullies and hollows as well as at transitions from little to much snow!

Overall impression

The combination of snow conditions, snow quality and avalanche situation gives me 4 stars. But the conditions are no longer far from ideal. The fresh snow in the next 2 days in particular should provide a real boost.