Are you a backcountry buff and love to shred through some awesome pow? Or do you like the crisp, cold, hard snow that makes you glide effortlessly on our Nordic trails?
We have created a guide to snow, the ins and outs of each general crystal type and what conditions are needed to form them. As the Callaghan Valley gets some of the the highest snowfall averages in the lower mainland- we think snow is pretty special. The field of snow science is vast, and includes 80 different classifications of snow crystals! We have broadened it to 5 general types but we have linked some more comprehensive guides below. To know more about the wilderness in the Callaghan Valley, and take a look at our Mountain Monday social media series!
We have created a guide to snow, the ins and outs of each general crystal type and what conditions are needed to form them. As the Callaghan Valley gets some of the the highest snowfall averages in the lower mainland- we think snow is pretty special. The field of snow science is vast, and includes 80 different classifications of snow crystals! We have broadened it to 5 general types but we have linked some more comprehensive guides below. To know more about the wilderness in the Callaghan Valley, and take a look at our Mountain Monday social media series!
Stellar Dendrites
A skier pops out of deep powder in the backcountry of the Callaghan Valley. Captured by Jeff Thomas & Blank Collective Films Stellar dendrites may look familiar to you, as the "classic" snowflake shape and the one you cut out for Christmas decorations. These beautiful crystals need temperatures of -15C to create flat, plate-like and detailed structures. The amazing thing about these dendrites, is that they are shape shifters! Due to the atmospheric changes of the column of air they fall through, changes of humidity and temperature, causes the crystal to grow and change as it falls to the ground. However, because it is one crystal and has the same conditions on all sides of it, they are symmetrical structures. Stellar, eh? :) And because they are so thin and light, they make super low density snow which makes the beautiful pow that we know and love.
Columns and Needles
Hollow Columns resting on the ski rack outside the Alexander Falls Touring Centre These amazing crystals are he types of crystals that occur when hoarfrost is created. Hoar, simply put, is frozen dew. To create surface hoar, the formation of the crystals (as with any type of snow crystals), is dependent on temperature and humidity. Surface hoar occurs with clear, cold (below -5C) and calm weather conditions. The snow reaches very cold temperatures, but radiates a heated layer of air directly above it which is typically about 10C warmer than the surface. The warm buffer of air holds a high amount of water vapour, and the vapour freezes upon contact with the surface of the snow. If the hoar gets buried with fresh snow, it essentially becomes a layer of a very thick blanket sitting on a layer of ice. If something makes that blanket move- down it goes! Although not very nive for our alpine skiers, these crystals create that fast, firm snow that is so nice to get your Nordic skis on. This cold crust on the snow creates a nice glide, while not being so cold that your skin doesn't freeze under the spandex;)
Capped Columns
Photo Credit to Alexey Kljatov Capped Columns are a little less common than columns and plates, that have the appearance of an empty spool of thread. These crystals are formed when a crystal travels through multiple temperatures as it falls to the ground. First a column has to form (so around -5C), and then travels through colder temperatures (about -15C) to form plates or dendrites on the end of the column.
Diamond Dust
Glittering snow in the Solitude Valley. Photo Captured by Warwick Sanderson With an apt name, these crystals are so small that they become the sparkling glitter on top of a snowpack on a bluebird day. Diamond dust forms, not from falling from a cloud, but by water vapour that is near to the ground that freezes. The individual water vapour droplets are so small, they form hexagonal plates and form a carpet of tiny prisms on the snowpack, which results in the glitter show on a sunny day.
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