Snow report Hochkönig, 12/15/2018

Snow condition

It is quite difficult to reliably state the amount of snow as it varies greatly in open terrain. Due to the strong wind influence during the precipitation phase, areas exposed to the wind are only slightly covered in snow and hollows and gullies are very well filled. You should ski with foresight, especially in hilly terrain. With a choice of line adapted to the conditions, you can easily reach the valley up to 1000 m downwind. It is advisable to stay on meadow slopes. We were only on the lee side today. All in all, I would estimate about 50 cm on average. A picture shows that the snow cover is not always particularly thick. It's still good enough for 3 stars, as you can reach the valley without contact with the enemy if you ski carefully.

Snow quality

The snow was already well settled, followed by a few centimetres of cold fresh snow from the night. The sinking depths were manageable, but the snow was soft as butter, especially in the morning. Towards midday, the snow became somewhat heavier in the lower regions.

The snow cover made a fairly compact and settled impression. In the steeper alpine terrain, you should pay attention to the accumulations of drift snow, especially under heavy loads. In very steep, sunny terrain, we were able to see some very small drifts. In addition, streams, forest paths, hollows and other terrain traps pose a danger.

Overall impression

A beautiful, lonely and stress-free day in the snow.