The snowpack

Contents

The snowpack is the most complicated factor to make an assessment of in relation to avalanches (Fredston & Fesler, 2011).

We will nonetheless venture a little into the topic, because it can be useful to understand why and when we should avoid avalanche terrain. In that connection we are thinking mostly about avoiding being in the runout zone of an avalanche. We may be walking down in a valley and expose ourselves to runout from the terrain above us. Furthermore, we will look at five avalanche problems.

Avalanche problem

The main aim of understanding avalanche problems is to help you recognise dangerous situations and thereby avoid trouble. The avalanche problems tell you how the snowpack is structured and which snow types are most likely to be the reason an avalanche will release.

Avalanche terrain + avalanche problems = dangerous

If you want to travel in avalanche terrain, you must make sure that there is no avalanche problem in and/or above the area you plan to move through. Some avalanche problems you can learn to recognise through training. Other avalanche problems are hidden beneath the surface, and it is impossible to know for certain where they are, even for experts.

Avalanche forecast

The avalanche problem in the area you are travelling through you can find on the avalanche forecasting service in the Varsom Regobs APP.

Read more about how to use the avalanche forecast.

Avalanche problems

• Fresh snow
• Wind slab
• Persistent weak layer (slab avalanche)
• Wet snow
• Glide avalanche

Danger signs related to avalanche problems

Danger signs, or alarm signs, are as a rule signals that there is considerable avalanche danger – danger level 3 – or greater. Danger signs can also help you to determine which avalanche problems are present.

• Whumpfing sounds in the snow
• Shooting cracks
• Recent avalanches
• Recent glide cracks
• Fresh wind-transported snow
• Heavy snowfall
• Rapid rise in temperature
• A lot of water in the snow

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Next steps

• Avalanches — the hub
• Terrain — the basic assessment
• The weather — what shapes the snowpack
• Whumpfing sounds in the snow — an acute alarm signal

Learn more

• Varsom — avalanche forecast — regional avalanche forecast and the avalanche school
• NVE steepness map — steepness ≥30°
• NGI — avalanches — research
• Norsk Fjellsportforum — course standard

Text

• Linda Hallandvik, Snuitide (2022)
• Where not otherwise stated, all images and films come from the website of Varsom.no.