Snow report Stubai Valley, 12/22/2019

Snow condition

According to the ski resort, there is 310cm of snow at the top. You'll probably find it in some pretty snow-covered spots. In most places, however, it's much less or nothing at all. The last stormy week has left quite a mark. The variants resemble a rocky desert and even the fresh snow is just a drop in the ocean and hides a few treacherous sharks. However, as long as you stay in hollows and avoid ridges, you can still get through quite well and find a few comfortable lines. The descent to the valley station via Wilde Grube is no problem.

Snow quality

Yesterday it snowed about 20 cm, and this morning another 10 cm fell. Due to the cold temperatures, the fresh snow has fallen in powder form and with only a moderate wind, which is not too bad for stubai conditions. Some wind influence can already be felt, so no champagne powder. The fresh snow is easy to ski in hollows and there were also a few face shots without faketurns. At lower altitudes, where the sun had previously come in, you can get through to a snow cover.

Beware of fresh drift snow in steeper terrain. The wind has picked up over the course of the morning and moved the fresh snow. The drift snow problem will become even more acute with increasing wind and snowfall, and caution is advisable due to the risk of avalanches on the one hand and the risk of injury from sharks on the other.

Overall impression

A bit of nice waving on the Stubai Glacier. The amount of fresh snow was acceptable and the visibility better than expected. If you expect little fresh snow and a whiteout, you can almost only be positively surprised. Due to the rather poor snow conditions and not entirely harmless avalanche situation, there were a few easy lines in the off-piste terrain today. A defensive skiing style was also advisable due to the many sharks. Nevertheless, it was fun and the eco-surface of the Borealis board is happy when it doesn't have to suffer too much.