International Federation of Mountain Guides Association (IFMGA) certified alpinist and paraglide pilot Tobias Holzknecht didn’t have to try very hard to demonstrate that spring avalanches are very much in season at this home town of Ötztal in the western Austrian state of Tyrol.
With chairlifts and gondolas spinning in full view, the snowpack didn’t need much coaxing from Holzknecht for the persistent weak layer to give way.
“With ongoing wetting, it’s becoming increasingly active again.” -Tobias Holzknecht
Avalanche conditions from halfway across the world obviously don’t exactly map to conditions on the ground stateside but Holzknecht’s video from the Ötztal Alps is a sobering reminder that slides can and do happen well into spring anywhere with sufficient snow and incline and anyone in the backcountry needs to aware of the danger and prepared for all contingencies. Be safe out there folks.
