Whether you're looking to nerd out on snow, or simply trying to determine if a slope is safe to ski, these items are essential for your Snow Kit!
Pulling out your shovel and digging a pit is great way to gain an understanding of the snowpack beneath your feet. Feeling the snow with your hands and visually observing the layers using your probe as measurement provides valuable information for decision making. However, if you want to increase your margins of safety or just nerd out on snow science, it might be time to beef up your snow study setup. The tools listed below will help provide more accurate data and make observations easier in the backcountry. However, remember the old adages that “a tool is only as good as its user”, so seek out mentorship, textbooks, and further avalanche education to fully utilize your snow study kit.
Slope meter
A slope meter paired with a ski pole or probe provides quick and accurate measurements of how steep the terrain is. If you don’t already have one of these in your pocket this is a great place to start. The industry proven BCA Slope Meter is lightweight, easy to read, and reliable. Additionally, the free Backcountry Access app (available on both Apple and Android devices) taps into your phone's internal meters and GPS to provide slope angle measurements, elevation, coordinates and compass bearing.
ECT Cord
When paired with two probes, a 10-foot length of 3mm utility/accessory cord with knots tied into it every few inches works great for isolating blocks to perform an extended column tests (ECT). This is a valuable tool for assessing stability for a minimal investment of just a few bucks. As a bonus, the cord has a negligible weight penalty and can also come handy as part of a rescue sled in an emergency situation.
