Snow report Upper Valais, 11/17/2019

Snow condition

Down at 600 in the Rhone valley there is 30cm of snow. At the top, 140cm has only fallen since Thursday. Overall, there's now a base of more than 2m in eastern Valais.

Snow quality

Fluffy Bottomless Deep Loose Easy Freshly fallen (it keeps snowing the whole time on the ascent and at some point we wish it would please stop) Untouched Untracked (all tracks snow again)

We start with a 3 and don't go a single meter over the tree line today. There are spontaneous small slides in the steep forest, especially as the day progresses and the amount of snow increases. A lot of slugh slides with us on the descent. However, it is just as soft as powder as everything else and doesn't get in the way. Overall, the situation is getting more and more tricky as the amount of snow increases and I'm glad to be off the mountain by 2pm and even happier to be down in the valley. The road situation is also dicey. Due to persistently heavy snowfall (which, however, has fallen without the influence of wind), there is definitely an avalanche warning level 4 in the evening. Outlook for the week: Beautiful conditions if the snow settles and consolidates well now. Nevertheless, very cautious tour planning. No gullies or hollows and it's best to head for the forest first.

Overall impression

A day like I have NEVER experienced before! There's so much base now that you can ride like a real freerider - free to the nose! Every turn brings snow contact right up to the nose and I can now imagine what it's like in Japan.
Tracks in meters of unconsolidated snow demand a lot of stamina from the early-season legs, but the effort is worth it! Despite everything, it's still only November and the situation is still very hot with almost 1m of snow above the tree line!