Snow report Verbier, 02/13/2015

Snow condition

All in all, due to the fine weather period, the south and west-facing slopes up to approx. 2500 m are a bit snowed out again and a crust of hard snow has formed in places - but the less sunny N-E slopes and couloirs still had very good snow conditions and a decent base up to approx. 1800 m.

Snow quality

Still really good if you knew where to go. I'll post a video link later for those who don't quite believe it...

It definitely got a bit safer this week. The snowpack structure slowly stabilized somewhat with weak layers further down. Nevertheless, a look at the website of the Swiss Avalanche Research Institute: http://www.slf.ch/schneeinfo/schneekarten/sds/index_DE shows that the snow profiles, especially in the Lower Valais, are generally only moderately stable. 12.2.2015 was the first day with avalanche danger level 2 in the 4 Vallées after the last snowfall. Touring activity was correspondingly high. (Xavier de Le Rue and Sam Smoothy, for example, have already scouted the Bec de Rosses, which probably worked out pretty well for Sam if you saw his winning run in Andorra yesterday!) Nevertheless, a very pronounced layer of surface frost has once again formed in many places, which is most likely another new weak layer for the upcoming snowfalls.

Overall impression

Dream weather, peace and powder! What more do you need for a perfect day? ;)