UKC

Hi,

I've heard much about the Alps receiving little snow this year (exceptionally even for recent years). Anyone can tell if that's true?

I'm wondering whether mid-June would be too early for walking with no equipment in passes/tops higher than 2500m or not (say in Austria or in the French Alps).

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

There's lots of depth relative to average above 2000m and not much below.

Here's a link from chamonix saying the same

https://www.chamonix.com/bulletin-avalanche

much the same here in the south of the Ecrins, almost nothing left below 2000m, plenty above & still snowing at altitude (eg yesterday).

Yes as others have said it was a wet but warm winter on the north side of the Alpine ridge so lots of snow at high elevations, lots of rain below about 2000m

I think not taking at least a small ice axe and crampons could spoil your enjoyment considerably at those heights in mid-June. You only have to round a corner on an easy trail between huts to find a small steep patch of snow covering the trail, still frozen iron hard in the shade after a cold clear night and perched above a 200m drop. With no equipment you may only have the options of waiting for it to get soft, or reversing your steps back to the hut.

All depends on where you´re heading for of course; the Austrian and French Alps cover an enormous area, and there´ll be huge differences in remaining snow cover depending on your location, the weather developments in the next 2 months, and on the general aspect of the proposed routes (N or S facing?)

Austrian / Bavarian alps were below average below 2000m, and above average higher than 2000m. Lawinendienst Bayern has snow depth profiles on the website.  Fotowebcam.eu is useful for looking at snowlines, both current and historic.

I think a lot of people think its been a poor snow year, this is down to the temps, often when the snow came the snow limit was high 2000m and up, which has lead to poor snow low down at ties and a lot of the lower ski station not being able to open. 

But up high has seen a lot of snow. The Écrins has had mega snow high up. it has the second highest level for this time of year since records began 30 years ago. reaching over 4m in places. the Queyras has the highest level since records began. 

If you have Facebook, here is a pic from the refuge glacier Blanc end of march - https://www.facebook.com/refugeduglacierblanc/posts/pfbid02DCh2FQSfVR4HPrWB...

Unless there is a big thaw and warm nights soon, I would expect to find a lot of snow patches till late summer.