While beautiful autumn moods prevail in the valley, an early cold snap has already ushered in winter in the mountains. The snow cover and cold temperatures currently make mountain tours above 1.500 meters mostly challenging and require careful and adapted tour planning. The Alpine Association is issuing safety tips after the first onset of winter of the season. After a very stable autumn with the warmest September in 257-year measurement history (source: GeoSphere Austria), winter is knocking on the door: In the Eastern Alps, considerable amounts of new snow have fallen on the higher mountains in recent days. The avalanche warning services have also started their work and have published their first blog entries to point out the wintry conditions in the mountains. The first official avalanche reports have already been published in Switzerland. "In lower elevations on the south side, the snow will probably melt again due to the mild temperatures forecast and the still warm ground," says Gerhard Mössmer, mountain sports expert from the Austrian Alpine Association. “However, the snow will probably stay on the high alpine slopes until winter due to the considerable amounts.” Onset of winter: Pay attention to current conditions The first ski tours are already possible – especially near the slopes of the glacier ski areas. The same safety measures as in mid-winter must be observed and full equipment (avalanche transceiver, shovel, probe, first aid kit, bivouac bag, cell phone) must be carried. “Especially after the first snowfall, you should also watch out for hidden stones and wear a helmet. Glacier crevasses are also a source of danger: every year at this time of year, people fall into crevasses through crevasses that are only lightly covered in snow,” explains Gerhard Mössmer. Snow and cold temperatures change a lot in the mountains: “The icing of the trails can