Lampsenspitze

In this rummage, we take a closer look at the so-called Arlberg effect and its impact on avalanche danger. As this effect does not only occur on the Arlberg, we refer to it more generally as the "effect of off-piste descents".

In the Southern and Central Alps there is often already a very thick snow cover. Weak layers that have been built up (old snow problem) can only be found on glaciers directly on the glacier ice. In other words, where the snow from early fall has remained. Otherwise, the snowpack structure is very good - and will most likely remain so in the snow-rich regions.

Digging snow profiles and recording them correctly requires a great deal of experience, starting with the question of site selection through to determining the layers. However, reading standard recorded profiles is less complicated than it may seem at first glance. Lukas Ruetz explains it below using an example from the Sellrain. The profile discussed, like many others, can be found in the LAWIS database of the Austrian avalanche warning services and all notations correspond to those used there. Other organizations sometimes use slightly different forms, but the basic principles and the symbols for the grain shape remain the same.