Snow report Central Switzerland, 05/13/2019

Snow condition

Exactly 1 week ago I gave it 5 stars, but of course - it can go fast: it's spring! Today the foliage is only half skiable, it's completely green from the last bushes of the popular freeride run (i.e. from about 1400m). The valley descent is therefore only possible with grass skiing and is certainly closed.

Snow quality

At the top of the Titlis there is the finest wind-blown powder: uncapped, more than suitable for fast riding! The same applies to the Rotegg exposure, which is strongly blown in by the easterly wind. In Steinberg, too, the powder is wind-blown at the top, untouched at the bottom and certainly more than 30cm deep. It only becomes difficult from around 2000 (approximately at or below the stand - difficult to judge today due to the limited visibility). But the snow is definitely not wet. At least not as far as Trübsee. It stays cold all day, despite the sun up on the Titlis. The wind is blowing away the old tracks and what you would normally like to do (first lines at 11 a.m.) is a pretty tricky affair today in the fog that prevails from 2400m.

The SLF has issued a 3 for today above 2800 in expositions from west to north to east and warns of the hard-to-see drift snow packs. We are not observing anything tricky either inside or outside the area. The drift snow is firmly packed and there are no wet slides this afternoon.

Overall impression

With 30cm of fresh snow and 30 freeriders in the area, this could be a classy 5-star May day - if it weren't for the 12,000 Indians and Thai predicted by Hannes, who provide the necessary color contrasts in the whiteout (up to an altitude of 2400m). Unfortunately, they are also queuing at the Titlis run, which is so important for us today, and thus prolong the long runs. At least they open up the barriers for us to make the active queuing more formal. As the Titlis doesn't welcome us yet due to biting winds until 11, we bootpack (yo! skins forgotten) up the Rotegg, because everything below is soup!
Skiing through the window requires a lot of flair - especially in the toes! With celebrities that I don't recognize, but who are very obliging in showing us the way out of the Steingletscher, the day is once again a magical spell of sun, clouds, life tingling and above all: MAYPOWDER!