David Webster of Chamonix Ski Bum is back with another ski conditions roundup for the European Alps, and it was a deep one for many regions. Unfortunately those deep conditions brought their own danger, with quite a few avalanche deaths occurring throughout the mountain range in the past week.
The northern and western Alps saw up to a meter, or a little over 3 feet, in a 3-4 day span from Wednesday through Saturday. It wasn’t the biggest storm of the season, but it brought some exceptional conditions. The best snow was found in Savoie, Les 3 Vallées, the Chamonix area, and parts of Switzerland and Austria. Unfortunately the conditions in the Dolomites weren’t quite as good.
Warm temperatures and wind transformed much of the snow by Monday and Tuesday, turning much of the powder into crusty or slushy conditions. While groomed runs are excellent, the off-piste powder is getting much harder to find.
Tragically at least 6 people died in avalanches in France alone over the last week, with more deaths across the alps. Avalanche warnings were usually around level 4 of 5, but people still went into dangerous conditions.
The forecast shows around 1.5-2+ meters of snow this weekend through Tuesday in the southern Alps, but the Dolomites are likely to miss out once again. Colder weather is looking to return in late January.
