Snow report Alpenostrand, 01/27/2021

Snow condition

After the snow cover settled due to the warming (brief rain/sleet), it has now snowed twice in a row. Once about 10 cm and yesterday evening until this morning about 20-30 cm. The frozen old snow cover is therefore no longer noticeable, but at the same time it forms a nice base. Steep forest with extreme vegetables/stones/deadwood is still a no-go.

Snow quality

The last snowfalls were always in good cold conditions, protected from the wind and almost perfect powder snow. The most recent snowfall was alternately in windy/stormy conditions and then occasionally with little wind. The last few centimetres have tended to fall with little or no wind. You can't really tell how healthy the snow is. Nevertheless, the snow is loose and fluffy (dusty when skiing downhill) and very easy to ride. There was almost "too much" fresh snow on the flat terrain.

The situation has become tense again due to the snowfall and drifts (drifting snow!). Even in the forest and meadow terrain there were new cornices and drifts, some of them deceptive because there is quite fluffy fresh snow from the very last snowfall period (where the wind was noticeably lighter) on top. My ambitions for steeper stuff in the Schneealm area (recently even the Schafries was done) have therefore been put on ice again for the time being (or actually on the drift snow). With the forecast snowfall (or rain below), the situation will get worse from tomorrow.

Overall impression

Clearly a four-star day. Heavy snowfall in places on the ascent. Then more and more sun and finally the late afternoon sun over the Schneealm (Schönhaltereck) on the descent. And all of this in great, "gführig" snow. What more could you want?