Snow report St. Moritz / Engadine, 05/08/2018

Snow condition

The Tschiervahütte can be reached on foot with almost no snow contact. You have to cross a few avalanche cones on the summer trail, the moraine is snow-free. Mountain biking is highly recommended, the first approx. 8.5 km from Pontresina would have been easy to ride. On the descent you come riders right next to the moraine a few hundred meters lower than the Tschiervahütte, unfortunately still too much snow in the climbing sections in the rock, in the area of the firn ridge some bare spots. More snow would have been desirable there.

Snow quality

Summer snow up to relatively high altitudes. Unfortunately, probably not a completely clear night, so the snow cover is only stable from about 2800m. Still powdery snow at the very top of the ridge. From the saddle on the descent, very wet, slow snow due to the sleet.

Many slopes are already unloaded. Mostly compact summer snow. Relatively relaxed without fresh snow. Danger of falling is the main danger.

Overall impression

Incredibly long tour. Total distance Pontresina - Piz Bianco - Pontresina 42 kilometers and 2200 vertical meters. Of which approx. 35 kilometers on foot. A bike is highly recommended for the ascent to the hut. The first 8.5 kilometers could easily have been done by bike. Without one, it takes about 3.5 hours to reach the hut.

On the second day, we made the first mistake and took the summer trail, which goes along brittle moraines and is crossed by avalanche cones. It would have been much quicker to descend about 100 vertical meters to the glacier and walk there with skins.
The rock climbing sections then begin from Fuorcla Prievlusa. At the beginning there are still pitons and eyelets. There is still a lot of snow on the western side of the ridge. We therefore switched to the east side after a while. There it would have been more advisable to descend briefly to a snow band and traverse towards the firn ridge. We climbed on the rock on the east side, which was very challenging.
The firn ridge itself looks impressive. However, due to the many bare spots, it is more of a patchy carpet than a continuous, beautiful white band. We had to belay a few pitches in a steep section with brittle bare ice. This part was also unfeasible on the descent. Further up, powdery stomping snow on the western side of the ridge.

The descent was quite good. Nice powdery snow on the western side of the ridge. Then descend a short section on bare ice and then continue in changing conditions. Only a little snow on ice in places. But still within limits, so that the edge held.
On the way back we got caught in a sleet and thunder shower in the rock section above the saddle. About 15cm of fresh snow within an hour, there are certainly more pleasant things. With a bit of luck I made it to the hut in one piece, and from the saddle the descent was no problem.

In general, the tour is extremely long. Securing the rock and ice took a lot of time. The difficulty and length of the tour should not be underestimated, especially if there is still a fair amount of snow. Physically and mentally, the tour was very tough.