Snow report Vaud and Fribourg Alps, 03/11/2017

Snow condition

Descent to the parking lot or into the valley is possible without any problems. Almost 5 stars, but the one or other exposed passage is soon bare. And I somehow managed to hit a stone. Although there were none.

Snow quality

Above 2500 wind-packed snow. Below that, hard up to 2000, then rain crust up to approx. 1800 (unrideable) and below 1600 disk paste. (not even slippable). So it's fun, but it's very strenuous and you have to be pretty sensitive with your edge use. Otherwise you'll be doing circus-worthy rescue maneuvers.

It all seems pretty set in concrete. In the lower, sun-exposed, flatter slopes, the rather small wet slides also run under the surface along the rain crust and take the old snow with them.

Overall impression

If it hadn't been fun, we would probably have gone home after the first ride over the hard snow. You just have to motivate yourself. "You know what is more core to ride than AK-Spines? --> Rainspines when they are frozen!" As soon as you get to grips with it, you can basically ride anything. And if you make an effort, you'll still be spoiled with a small powdery culoir or beautiful terrain in the Sprinslush.