Snow report Upper Bavaria, 12/14/2019

Snow condition

At the start at 1100 m there is around 20 cm, of which a few cm is new. The ascent and descent are still possible up to this altitude with defensive/cautious skiing. In the open terrain, the wind was blowing hard and the snow conditions there were quite inhomogeneous. On the ascent in particular, there were often empty patches alternating with snow-covered hollows. On the ascent, you could choose the lines with the most snow at your leisure. From around 1400 m there could be around 30 cm+. Quite difficult to say anything serious with the wind. In the early morning there was still light snowfall, later in the morning a mix of snow and rain below 1300 m.

Snow quality

Pretty solid despite the wind and rising temperatures: mainly settled powder, which was quite good to ski in sheltered areas. We skied below the tree line on a west/northwest side in a rather wind-protected area. Due to the small amount of snow, a defensive skiing style is advisable.

As the altitude increases, so do the danger spots due to the strong wind. The wind has caused a lot of drifting. Despite the low snow conditions, you should critically assess steeper terrain close to the crest as well as gullies and hollows. At lower altitudes, we were able to recognize a small snow slide from steep terrain. In the meantime, the snowfall turned to sleet. Due to the small amount of snow, further dangers are posed by terrain traps.

Overall impression

I made the most of today on the doorstep before it gets warmer and the options quickly become even more limited again. There were a few nice turns. A trip to the Schliersee mountains for touring is not really worthwhile yet.