Yes it is interesting to compare the Isere, Savoie and Haute-Savoie these last days. More snow has fallen in the Isere recently but it is only a question of cms.

Little tour in the Chartreuse today, not any skiing, too much avalanche risk above 1400 meters, too little snow beyond. Very windy with a strong wind from the North moving snow around. Some braver souls still managed a descent of the steep Virgule Couloir above the Col de Marcieu ski area.

Another Drome avalanche, they are getting fashionable. A fireman, specialized in mountain recue was buried at the Font d’Urle for about 10 ten minutes this afternoon, he was taken to hospital in Romans. Can’t be too serious if he was taken to Romans as it is a small, non specialized hospital.

Risk down to 3 in the Isere, rising to 3 in the Savoie tomorrow. Great conditions today, 30cm of power above 1400 meters on a firm base and more or less stable. Some small slabs formed near the ridges under the influence of the north wind.

big change in conditions tomorrow with the zero isotherm up to 2400 meters and rain to 1400-1800 meters tomorrow afternoon before things cool down again. Expect some natural activity tomorrow and Sunday but it should help stabilize things.

Just come off the hill, weird conditions, rain this morning with an air temperature of -5C, this rain went up to about 1600m for a moment, snowing just now at 1100m and below that rain onto a freezing ground. Yummy!

We had snow at valley level and rain higher up :-?

Conditions were not great though, very humid snow conditions. There was an avalanche in the Chartreuse involving two ski tourers on the Petit Som route at the Col de Lechaud (2nd time this winter). No injuries this time but one skier buried up to his waist. Hard to imagine why anyone would go on this route under the conditions. The foehn was blowing snow onto north faces. The col du Lauteret is also closed tonight due to snow transport.

There have been some avalanches further afield. 4 dead at Glencoe, warning this BBC report contains errors

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-21101217

Risk 3 across the Northern Alps and much of the Pyrenees tomorrow. Risk 3 rising to 4 in the Hautes-Alpes where the freezing level is lower and there is more snow.

4 dead in Austrian avalanches, an off piste skier today and 3 ski tourers yesterday

http://derstandard.at/1358304023265/Drei-tote-Bergretter-bei-Lawinenabgang-in-Kaernten

There have been a few avalanches over the weekend in France.

This is a photo of the Petit Som avalanche from yesterday

On Saturday there was an avalanche above Abondance on the crête de Coincon at 2000 meters altitude. Two local walkers (snowshoers?) triggered a small slab, one of the walkers was carried a small distance but over small cliffs and suffered a fractured elbow. A ski tourer suffered a dislocated shoulder ski touring at the Sur-Cou, a very popular route above the Arve valley. A couple of ski tourers were also rescued from the col de La Colombières, one of the skiers was suffering from a shoulder injury. The skiers were joined by a ground rescue which reached them around 18h00.

In the Hautes Alpes a local skier was caught by a slide around 13h30 in the Névache without being buried. He was taken to hospital by helicopter in Briançon with injuries to his legs and arms. The avalanche risk was 4/5.

At Auris en Oisans in the alpe d’Huez ski area a group of French off piste skiers triggered a slide at 1800 meters just after midday. Three of the skiers were taken by the slide. One buried to his neck. All were equiped with avalanche transceivers. While they were rescuing the buried skier a second avalanche completely buried another member of the group. This second skier was rescued by the CRS and taken to hospital by ambulance with a fractured leg and mild hypothermia.

There has been an avalanche fatality at Valloire in the Maurienne. A skier from the north of France was on a secured itinerary near the Montissot chair when he was caught by a small avalanche and deeply buried in a terrain trap. First reports suggest that the route was open at the time of the accident.

The risk is up to 4 at altitude in the Oisans and Hautes-Alpes, snow is stabilizing in the Isere following rain on Saturday night then a return to cold weather. Risk 3 in the Savoie and south of the Haute-Savoie due to fresh snow and wind on Sunday.

The col du Lauteret has reopened this morning.

Very humid snow yesterday for snow shoeing.

but much better today for a sneaky, afterwork, descent. Better conditions on West slopes, East slopes seem to have taken a bit too much sunshine today. Zero iso around 1200 meters.

Snow is coming in from the south but won’t get much further than the Vercors range, we could end up with the unusual effect of snow in South Grenoble, dry in the North.

There is a core of risk 3 in the East Isere, Savoie and Hautes Alpes tomorrow due to the recent falls of snow.

Big slab on the Crêtes de l’Herpie today at l’alpe d’Huez but no-one was caught in the slide. There was another slab in the Vercors at the Pas de l’Oeille at the Deux Soeurs above the col de l’Arzeillier. The route is quite popular with ski tourers but again no-one was involved.

Out in the Chartreuse yesterday (Friday) and Belledonne today (Saturday). On South thru East slopes last weekends snow is now transforming with a mix of heavy powder, crusts and spring like snow although the freeze/thaw is not strong at this time of year. Still powder to be found on other aspects and in the woods.

Avalanche risk remains High (4/5) in the Pyrenees. 1 - 2 in the Savoies and 2 - 3 in the Isere and Hautes-Alpes

Avalanche risk remains High in the Western and Central Pyrenees with continued snowfall. 100cm since Weds in some areas @1800m.

Avalanche risk back up to 3-4 in the Northern and Hautes Alps above 1600/1800m with 10-30cm of fresh snow falling on weak layers formed by the recent cold at altitude. Thaw expected Wednesday with spring like weather.

We managed a quick trip yesterday morning, setting off from La Grande Terche a St Jean d’Aulps, a quick hike over “La Golette” that leads to some lovely skiing down to Graydon. The last snow has been one week previously, there were 3 tracks, the avalanche forecast was 1 at this level (<2000m) and there was some pretty good powder to ski, on some aspects this was “neige cartonnée” thanks to the wind but this could mostly be avoided.

Video here:

Snowed heavily last night, a wet 10cm at 800m, but I’m told a lighter 30-40cm above 1500m.

Is that some of our balloons from Chateau d’Oex in the background there? It’s the festival at the moment. I took a short skin up Monts Chevreuils yesterday to watch them taking off.

I think they came from Les Carroz, they (crash) landed all over St Jean d’Aulps about an hour later, I don’t know if this is a “normal” day out for a balloon flight in the Alps but they seem to be bonkers, they were all over the place, roads, gardens, buildings. Mad.