Snow report Paznaun Valley, 03/01/2014

Snow condition

Overall, there is plenty of snow in the Silvretta, but not too much. However, tours in all exposures are possible at 2000m. Rock contact is quite likely, however. 3-10 cm of fresh snow fell in each of the last two nights. Due to the strong wind, however, this snow remained very uneven and so, depending on the exposure, there is sometimes powder and sometimes hard snow.

Snow quality

The quality of the snow varies greatly. Powder snow can be found in shady regions and on north-facing slopes. But even western and eastern slopes still offer great snow in places. At the same time, however, the wind and sun have left their mark, resulting in hard snow on blown-off ridges, ridges and slopes exposed to the sun.

The avalanche situation was favorable. The main concerns were drift snow due to the strong winds & the increasing soaking of the snowpack during the course of the day in southern exposure up to high altitudes. As a result, older wet snow slides from extremely steep terrain could be observed. Nevertheless, the fresh snow of the last few days has settled well.

Overall impression

If you choose your tour carefully, you can find powder snow and stable touring conditions.