Saas Fee on 04.01.2023 | Benji_01

Snow condition

Well, not much has changed since yesterday. In the Allalingletscher area there is a little more snow than in the rest of the area, but still below average for the time of year. As we learned, 2 guides tested the variants towards the Mattmark reservoir today (result open, best to ask if this is relevant for anyone), although I can't really imagine that these variants have good snow.

Snow quality

The snow quality is really good in places on north-facing slopes protected from the wind. Nevertheless, it is very changeable, on the south side you can feel a slight cover, on blown-in east-facing slopes the influence of the wind and its negative effect on the snow quality is clearly noticeable. In the area of the Britanniahütte, you can still find a few (more or less, depending on your point of view) rewarding variants with a bit of searching.

Wind influence is noticeable in all exposures, in places there is bound snow on soft layers. The risk of falls and crevasses as well as the risk of falling rocks is currently not insignificant.

Overall impression

You always have to put things into perspective, so given the current conditions in the Alps, it was actually a good day for touring in the Britannia Hut area. With a bit of searching and the motivation to skin up and down more often, you can find a few rewarding descents! With a view of the glacier, fresh snow is definitely still needed!