A Field Guide To Snow

People love snow. They love to ski and sled on it, snowshoe through it, and watch it fall from the sky. They love the way it blankets a landscape, making it look tranquil and beautiful. Few people, however, know how snow works. What makes it possible for us to slip and slide over, whether that’s falling on sidewalks or skiing down a mountain? What makes it cling to branches and street signs? What qualities of snow lead to avalanches? In A Field Guide to Snow, veteran snow scientist Matthew Sturm answers those questions and more. Drawing on decades of study, he explains in clear and simple ways how and why snow works the way it does. The perfect companion a ski trip or a hike in the snowy woods, A Field Guide to Snow will give you a new appreciation for the science behind snow’s beauty.

Anyone who has ever scooped up a handful of snow and looked closely at the individual crystals of which it is composed will want to own this guide book. It describes the types of snow crystals, how they are formed, and how they change after they have been deposited, and explains the various systems of classification that have been developed. Beautiful and detailed photographs taken by the author illustrate crystals and their metamorphism under various conditions.

HOW TO IDENTIFY AND DECIPHER THOSE MYSTERIOUS WINTER TRAILS.

The surface of fallen snow—its contours and texture—can tell the interested observer much about the forces that shaped it and about its stability and what it is likely to do. Will it be good for skiing or for packing as a snowball? Will it slide? Is it dangerous? Secrets of the Snow is an overview of the easily visible aspects of snow in the alpine mountain landscape, serving as a companion volume to the author’s Field Guide to Snow Crystals, which examines snow at the microscopic level. Describing visual snow features and textures arising from climate, wind-drift, layering, solar radiation, and melting, Secrets of the Snow explains how snow may be "read" for information on avalanche formation and suitability for winter sports. Closely linked photographs and text illustrate the shapes, forms, and textures found at the surface of winter snow covers; describe their origins in wind and weather conditions; and guide the reader in interpreting these features to predict snow behavior. Secrets of the Snow is essential for winter sports enthusiasts, mountaineers, and avalanche-safety specialists.

Book which focuses on teaching backcountry travellers to recognize, evaluate, and avoid avalanche hazards by gathering available key information and clues from the snowpack, weather, and terrain.