Snow report Stubai Valley, 11/21/2020

Snow condition

Thanks to the recent snowfall, you can set off with skins from the valley station. On the descent, I even skied down to the upper parking lot with my good board, which goes reasonably well on the Fernau trail. In between, however, you have to watch out for stones and it can't hurt to wear skins. Surprisingly, however, the descent went without damaging the surface. In the next few days, however, you will have to carry something, in the lower area there is only the freshly packed snow. We chose the Wilde Grube for the ascent, but there are a few more stones there, as a Pistenbully has already skied there, and the snow conditions at the top have not deteriorated dramatically in recent weeks. Of course, the south-facing slopes were once again relatively snow-free before the last snowfall, but the area itself still looks relatively good for the time of year, and you can get to the Dresdner Hütte on the piste without having to worry about stones. However, the upper variants in the ski area are easy to ski and there are enough slopes for a leisurely ski tour.Edit: Somehow the star rating does not take over correctly. Snow conditions are of course not 3 stars, but rather in the lower 2-star range.

Snow quality

We had actually planned a tour from Obergurgl, as it is easier to get to and from the parking lot there. After checking the measurements, however, it was clear that only a fraction of the fresh snow that must have fallen on the Stubai had fallen there. The measuring station at the Dresdner Hütte at 2300m showed 20cm of fresh snow. At the valley station it must have been about 15cm. Further up on the glacier it must have been a good 30cm and a little more in the hollows, and most of the fresh snow was of the finest quality. Due to the very low temperatures, it remained powdery all day and was not affected by the wind except in the uppermost areas. In the uppermost areas, the wind influence was more clearly visible and there were blown-off, icy ridges, so dream powder from almost the very top to the very bottom. A little more carpet pad would have been desirable.

As most of the fresh snow was still very loose, the risk of avalanches was limited. However, we had planned a leisurely tour from the outset and the situation in the steep terrain should currently be assessed with caution. Due to the long period of good weather, a weak layer may have formed, especially in the shady terrain, as soon as it is overlaid by a board. It is advisable to keep an eye on the avalanche blog. Lukas Ruetz recently wrote a blog entry on the current situation that is well worth reading, which is now also available on PowderGuide. We also recommend watching the accompanying video, it's very informative! In the uppermost, more exposed glacier areas, there was a clear wind influence. Due to the fresh snow, the risk of sharks has also increased significantly again, many rocks are only slightly covered with snow.

Overall impression

Very nice day of touring on the Stubai Glacier. Fortunately, tours for physical and mental recovery are still allowed, and this day was definitely good for both after a break of almost 4 weeks.
Because it was so good, after the first descent near the Daunjoch there was another ascent up to the Wildspitzlift. You can definitely feel the 1900 meters in your legs, but it was worth it today!