How do you figure out the snow coverage?

[PeachesNCream]

Up here in the PNW we're hurting for some snow, so I've decided to just say fuck it and bring out the touring rock skis. I'm relatively new to the area (3 years) and haven't found my go-to spots for early season touring. Not asking to give away your secret spots (but would be forever thankful on any recommendations) but any advice on figuring out areas that are adequately snow covered for someone new to the area?

[PeachesNCream]

Currently I just stalk Crystal, Alpental, and Steven's for their base coverage and use that as a rough guesstimate for the area

[mall walker]

subscribed

[smartyiak]

This very question is extensively examined in the Oregon thread.

[GeezerSteve]

NWAC telemetry

Snotel telemetry

Turns All Year FB page

[PNWbrit]

FFS

[reckless toboggan]

Chad's Gap is stacked and stable right now!

Best touring there in years!

That'd definitely be my first choice.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

It might upset some folks, but I am going to share with you my ultra-secret method of determing snow coverage. It may result in Salman Rushdie style fatwah/ bounty threatening my very existence, but here it goes ...







I go out and look.

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[thefortrees]

Oregon math says something like 500 vinches = 1 ski pole = 120cm = 6 beers. Insert ski pole or stack beers.

[LongShortLong]

Some general ideas. Ski resorts tend to be located in areas favored by the weather gods. So find abandoned resorts and ski there

Check out old topo maps at a (university) library, and look for permanent snowfields or small glaciers (that may be snow fields now, decades later)

Satellite view https://earthdata.nasa.gov/labs/worldview/ Resolution is poor, ~half km, and PNW might be cloudy. Looking for winter snow may be troublesome due to clouds. However, the snowy spots are likely still snowy in summer, so you could use this to hunt June snowfields, then check those spots in person in winter. ~20 years of daily photos. The site has an overlay that shows some roads

There's some satellite generated maps around that claim to show snow depth, but I haven't found them accurate.

You do have Cascade volcanoes too.

[benk]

https://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/earth/

Import the kml into google earth. I’ve found it to be accurate enough to gauge whether forest roads are clear or not in the spring.

Best to check telemetry to find if areas are deep enough to ski early season.

[OregonDead]

vibes OP

[cmcrawfo]

It might upset some folks, but I am going to share with you my ultra-secret method of determing snow coverage. It may result in Salman Rushdie style fatwah/ bounty threatening my very existence, but here it goes ...







I go out and look.

gasp.

but how would you know if you should bring your touring rock skis?

[I've seen black diamonds!]

gasp.

but how would you know if you should bring your touring rock skis?

They're all rock skis.

[thefortrees]

gasp.

but how would you know if you should bring your touring rock skis?

A wise man once told me that Ullr appreciates ptex donations. Do not be skurred.

[Kinnikinnick]

https://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/nsa/

Go to interactive map on the upper left, zoom in on your geography, look at the filters for useful images such as

shallow snow depth (useful for early season where the difference between 12” and 2’ is critical.

Snow depth

Snow depth change

Etc



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[river59]

It's the PNW. You can ski year round. Just get high!

[garyfromterrace]

It might upset some folks, but I am going to share with you my ultra-secret method of determing snow coverage. It may result in Salman Rushdie style fatwah/ bounty threatening my very existence, but here it goes ...







I go out and look.

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Hehe. Nice

[Kinnikinnick]

It might upset some folks, but I am going to share with you my ultra-secret method of determing snow coverage. It may result in Salman Rushdie style fatwah/ bounty threatening my very existence, but here it goes ...







I go out and look.

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You pick 3-4 different locations of possible tours and then drive to them all , even if that entails 5-6 hours of driving?


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[cmcrawfo]

You pick 3-4 different locations of possible tours and then drive to them all , even if that entails 5-6 hours of driving?


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Or... you just go out, and don't be too but hurt about what you find.

Its about the journey bro.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

Or... you just go out, and don't be too but hurt about what you find.

Its about the journey bro.

This. I stomp around somewhere I can get a good view of multiple peaks and aspects. Maybe bring my dog. He doesn't give a shit about snow depth. If I get some good turns, Sweet!

Last year first time out I never took my skins off. Clomped along some barely covered forest service roads and up a mellow grassy ridge line. Scrambled up some boulders in my boots. Took some photos of where the snow was collecting on nearby peaks. Then I clomped back down, skins on. It was fun. This year I got to make a few pow turns. That was fun too.

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[SumJongGuy]

How do you figure out the snow coverage?
Bring a buddy, say "You go first"..

[californiagrown]

This. I stomp around somewhere I can get a good view of multiple peaks and aspects. Maybe bring my dog. He doesn't give a shit about snow depth. If I get some good turns, Sweet!

Last year first time out I never took my skins off. Clomped along some barely covered forest service roads and up a mellow grassy ridge line. Scrambled up some boulders in my boots. Took some photos of where the snow was collecting on nearby peaks. Then I clomped back down, skins on. It was fun. This year I got to make a few pow turns. That was fun too.

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Pretty much exactly this. I bring some good weed, some good coffee and my four legged buddy and go walk around talking pictures and noticing the little things i never get to look at while MTBing or skiing. my dog has a freaking blast because he gets to sniff and pee and jump on literally everything... and i end up with a whole bunch of close up pictures of moss, tree bark, and mushrooms that i must have thought looked super artsy.

Basically i look at it as some good exercise, and a nice outing with my dog. I rarely get to just kind of chill, relax and enjoy the little things when in the mountains- its usually fast up while breathing hard, and then fast adrenaline filled descents and my senses are always looking for things ready to kill me.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

Pretty much exactly this. I bring some good weed, some good coffee and my four legged buddy and go walk around talking pictures and noticing the little things i never get to look at while MTBing or skiing. my dog has a freaking blast because he gets to sniff and pee and jump on literally everything... and i end up with a whole bunch of close up pictures of moss, tree bark, and mushrooms that i must have thought looked super artsy.

Basically i look at it as some good exercise, and a nice outing with my dog. I rarely get to just kind of chill, relax and enjoy the little things when in the mountains- its usually fast up while breathing hard, and then fast adrenaline filled descents and my senses are always looking for things ready to kill me.

Word. Also a good time for beacon practice or futzing with snow anchors. If you can make that bollard work in early season facets, you know it will work later on when you need it. Come to think of it I've always wanted to test out Doug Combs' disposable-piece-of-wood-as-anchor. How small can you go? Or isn't there a story about him rapping off a Power Bar? All this shit is fun for me when haven't skied in a few months. Beats the WROD on the weekend.

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