Recent field observations by Meteo France forecasters highlight a strong contrast in ski touring conditions between the northern Alps around Grenoble and the Hautes Alps/Ecrins/Vallouise. In the Grenoble area, conditions are currently dominated by wind. Moderate to strong south-easterly winds above 1600 m are actively transporting snow, stripping ridges and loading lee features. Below 1600 m, skiing is generally poor due to ice, crusts and humid snow, while above this elevation the snow remains dry but heavily wind-affected, often hard and uneven. These conditions significantly reduce skiing quality and increase exposure to wind slabs, particularly below rock bands, in couloirs and in concave terrain. Several small recent avalanches have been observed, including a slab release below the Oule refuge and the Col de la Scia, and thin slabs were triggered by skiers despite mostly negative stability tests. The snowpack structure shows recent wind-blown snow resting on crusts and weak faceted layers, indicating that even small accumulations can be reactive. In practice, this calls for conservative terrain choices, avoiding steep lee slopes where slabs are actively forming.
In contrast, the Ecrins around Vallouise are currently offering very good ski touring conditions, with around 40 cm of light, cold powder at higher elevations. Snowpack analyses show that in well-filled slopes at altitude, recent instabilities are stabilizing and persistent weak layers are deeply buried, making them harder to trigger. However, this overall positive picture masks an important caveat: where the snowpack is thinner, particularly at lower elevations and in forested terrain, persistent weak layers are closer to the surface and more easily activated, as confirmed by propagation in stability tests. These weak layers are mainly faceted grains, while more fragile depth hoar is more prevalent nearby mountain ranges with less snow-cover. For ski tourers, the key takeaway is that conditions demand very different strategies depending on location and snow depth. Around Grenoble skiers should avoid areas where windslab has formed. In the Ecrins, excellent skiing can be found on well-covered slopes, but caution remains essential in areas with thinner snowpacks, where persistent weak layers can still produce dangerous slab avalanches. In both regions, careful attention to wind effects, snow depth variability and terrain selection remains more important than isolated stability test results.