Tilled Snow

TS

Tilled new fallen snow, Powder -(PDR) gets packed  (PP) ,and air content reduced leaving a nice packed surface to ski on.  Skating lanes are left with a corduroy look from the tiller skirt and the tracks are firm (World class conditions).  Tilled frozen old snow, Frozen Granular - (FRGR) is chopped up and brought back to a more powdery stage that is better for skiing, and give you better control of the skis.

Powder

PDR

Freshly fallen fluffy snow for backcountry skiing or snowshoeing.

Packed powder

PP

Packed by skiers or groomer equipment.

Hard packed

HP

Firmly packed, "edgeable" dense snow for skating, and solid tracks for classic skiing.

Loose Granular

LSGR

Loose "sugar" snow naturally refrozen or manmade snow.

Frozen granular

FRGR

Frozen "sugar" snow that had high moisture content.

Wet packed snow

WETPS

High moisture content snow that easily turns into “mashed potatoes” like snow.

Wet Granular

WETGR

Soft granular snow that is wet from warm temperatures, rain, or humidity.

Spring Conditions

SC

A late season mix of conditions created by sunny or rainy days and above freezing temperatures.  Snow often has high content of dirt.

Windblown Snow

WBLN

Powder or granular snow blown into drifts in some places, leaving a firmly packed surface and possibly creating poor glide.  Helps to have a smooth ski base like a “mirror”.

Corn

CORN

Large, loose snow crystals about the size of salt, frozen at night, loose during the day.  Requires klister kick wax.

Ice

ICY

Hard and slippery, glazed or see-through surface - “bulletproof”.  Often found after warm front with above 32 F moves through followed by a cold front.  Needs to be tilled.

Variable Conditions

VC

No primary (70% or more) can be determined and a range of surfaces can be found.  Often found in the spring.

Wet Snow

WETSN

New fallen powder snow which has become moist and heavy due to a thaw, or rainfall, or fell moist.  Most difficult snow condition to pick kick wax for.