Snow report Grisons, 12/14/2019

Snow condition

It's ok, you can start at the parking lot from about 1400 m. Thanks to the long and truck-prepared trail to Heimeli, no contact with the enemy on the descent. Above 1900m, leaving the path is quite rocky as it is blown over in places. Total snow depth between 20 and 60 cm.

Snow quality

The snow was slightly damp powder. No longer dusty but not ultra-heavy either. On the flat it was possible to swim up well and make a few turns if visibility allowed.

With a 3 in the area, we opted for the fairly flat Stelli. Towards lunchtime, the visibility allowed us to track through the domed and flat terrain. There was nothing to observe here apart from drift snow. No releases or cracks, probably due to a lack of base. It certainly looks different further up and I would be quite cautious at the moment because, according to the SLF, a release can tear through to deeper layers and in all exposures there was widespread displacement. Soon the zero degree line will rise to 1800m and then we can expect more wet avalanches

Overall impression

We didn't make it all the way to the summit, but there were beautiful light moods and a lonely ascent with a short stop in the Walser village of Sapün. On Saturday the temperatures were already rising and on Sunday it was sunny and avalanchey with a föhn wind.