More snow, please

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

By Lisa Van Sciver

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-Last week after making several good turns down the gut of Glory Bowl, I found myself, with skis on, climbing down a tree over a rock outcropping. The skier-made, goat track from the good turns to the road was marginal at best, but once off the track conditions quickly diminished to challenging moves from one snow patch to the next. The hideous track out ensured I would wait until the next storm to return, and it narrowed my Christmas Wish list to one thing: SNOW.

 Local alpine bowls, mainly on north and east aspects, hold 25 to 50 inches of old snow deposited by the autumn’s precipitation and wind. Snow crystal growth depends on temperature gradient, pore space between grains and temperatures. A large temperature gradient within the snowpack (critical TG is 10 degrees Celsius per meter), causes snow grains to become faceted or angular. This weaker crystal growth is common in a continental or a shallow snowpack.

 The Tetons’ upper elevation, intermountain snowpack settled due to wind loading, varying temperatures, and time. Currently cold temperatures create a large TG; therefore facets are growing within the snowpack. Reports of good, powder skiing on Fossil Mountain and Mount Hunt loses its allure with the few thousand feet of frozen-dirt walking between me and the snow.

Ski areas gun to cover their lower mountains with white strips. Local skiers crowd the white strips, carving turns and getting in shape for this winter. As for me, I am just asking Santa for some snow, please, and nothing else. JHW


PERMALINK:
More snow, please | Planet JH News Article: Snow Report Column

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