Zillertal on 21.02.2023 | ChevChelios

Snow condition

It is possible to start at the bottom of the valley at 1450m on skis, and it is quite easy to ascend and descend along shady paths. Slopes with more sunlight have little to no snow until quite high up. Mountain pines and bushes are not well covered in snow. Above approx. 1900m the snow conditions improve. However, slushy terrain should be avoided even at this altitude. With a more even surface, you can have fun on the descent above 1900m. Be aware of the risk of falling crevasses on glaciers, which are still poorly snow-covered.

Snow quality

Descended from 3000m at 11:45 am. Still quite hard at the top on the southwest side, smaller areas even still powdery snow. Further down on the south side good firn, between approx. 2400 and 1900m on the southeast side already deeper firn or slush. A little too early at the top, a little too late at the bottom. The lowest part (1900 - 1450m) on the north side was still very hard even at 12 o'clock.

On the south side, watch out for daytime warming and ski down early depending on the altitude. Watch out for sliding snow avalanches. Many wet avalanches have already gone down. Some older slab avalanches can still be seen in many exposures.

Overall impression

With the warm temperatures, firn tours are currently the best option. The only drawback is the current snow conditions, which severely limits the choice. Nevertheless, I still found a nice tour with good firn and beautiful scenery.