Snow report Oberstdorf, 04/24/2016

Snow condition

Difficult to award stars here. The mountain was more or less completely snowed out. On the south side completely up to the summit at 1834m. On the north side largely the same except for some funnel gullies and hollows from about 1500m. Since yesterday there has been a considerable increase in fresh snow. In the valley at 850m there is 10cm on the meadow, increasing rapidly with altitude. At 1200m then about 30cm further up. Half a meter and more at the top! Depending on the terrain, I was able to sink the ski pole completely. No problems from the valley, hardly any ground contact.

Snow quality

At the bottom it was soaked and compactly heavy, on the descent with a crust of 1cm, in the middle layers pressed powder and from about 1500m onwards rustling drift snow of the beautiful variety, still completely unbound.

Uncritical as more or less everything fell on the bare ground. Where this is not the case, I am skeptical. There is a lot of snow and the wind is strong. Certainly critical in the high Alps.

Overall impression

I finished the season on the Hochgrat 27 days ago and wrote a final report here. That was probably premature. It's unbelievable what came down in one good day. And as Baron has already written, nobody goes there. So this evening at 19.30 I was the first to lay the track on the summit and wiggle down in the private floodlight. It was magnificent! And don't forget it's April 25th! Powder! Half a meter plus! Alone! Brilliant! 4 stars for that reason.