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Information on risk of avalanches
The avalanche risk forecast is at level 2 on friday 29 April to sunday 1 May.
You can download the avalanche risk bulletin with all the snow and avalanche danger information for the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park:
Danger of avalanches European Scale holds 5 risk levels defined by an evaluation on stability and its consequences, which will determine the probability of avalanche activation.
In mountain risk zero does not exist. The danger to which a skier or a mountaineer is exposed will grow with the index value.
Danger of avalanches European Scale
Danger level | Snowpack stability | Avalanche triggering probability | Consequences for persons outside secured zones / recommendations |
VERY HIGH
| The snowpack largely unstable in general. | Numerous large-sized and often very large-sized natural avalanches can be expected, even in moderately steep terrain. | Highly unfavourable conditions. Avoid open terrain. |
HIGH
| The snowpack is poorly bonded on most steep slopes (*). | Triggering is likely even from low additional loads (**) on many steep slopes (*). In some cases, numerous medium-sized and often large-sized natural avalanches can be expected. | Unfavourable conditions. Extensive experience in the assessment of avalanche danger is required. Remain in moderately steep terrain / heed avalanche run out zones. |
CONSIDERABLE
| The snowpack is moderately to poorly bonded on many steep slopes (*). | Triggering is possible, even from low additional loads (**) particularly on the indicated steep slopes. In some cases medium-sized, in isolated cases large-sized natural avalanches are possible. | Partially unfavourable conditions.Experience in the assessment of avalanche danger is required. Steep slopes of indicated aspects and altitude zones should be avoided if possible. |
MODERATE
| The snowpack is only moderately well bonded on some steep slopes (*), otherwise well bonded in general. | Triggering is possible primarily from high additional loads, particularly on the indicated steep slopes. Large-sized natural avalanches are unlikely. | Mostly favourable conditions. Careful route selection, especially on steep slopes of indicated aspects and altitude zones. |
LOW
| The snowpack is well bonded and stable in general. | Triggering is generally possible only from high additional loads (**) in isolated areas of very steep, extreme terrain. Only sluffs and small-sized natural avalanches are possible. | Generally safe conditions. |
(*) The avalanche prone terrain is generally explained in greater detail in Avalanche Bulletin (e.g. altitude zone, aspect, type of terrain).
- Moderately steep terrain: slopes flatter than about 30 degrees.
- Steep slopes: slopes with an angle of more than about 30 degrees.
- Steep extreme terrain: those which are particularly unfavourable as regards slope angle (usually steeper than about 40°), terrain profile, proximity to ridge, roughness of underlying ground.
(**) Additional load:
- Low (e.g. single skier, snowboarder, snowshoe hiker).
- High (e.g. group of skiers without spacing, snowmobile/groomer, avalanche blasting).
