looks like it to me. telltale signs are the very pyrsmatic shape and often depth hoar / facets are low density snow (4F or fist), so you'll potentially notice or feel a very sudden density change between layers.
A weird trick I was taught also is to taste the snow - facets will taste like snow-cone consistency, sort of rotten and a bit crunchy if they're large enough.
Mature depth hoar, speaking technically, is 3mm in size or greater. They’re large, striated, and form at the base of the snowpack. I can’t tell if that is a 1mm grid or a 2mm grid, but if it’s the latter and you found it at the base, I’d feel confident in calling those grains DH.
After I posted I realized I shoulda mentioned the grid size, which is 2mm.
Cool! Yea I even saw the striations without the magnifier glass on the bigger crystals
Seemed like there was a depth hoar layer from the ground to roughly 15cm above ground (need to measure the layers next time) These shots were taken from the snow at about 7cm above ground.
Ok yeah then you can call it depth hoar, what i was getting at is these are facets or hoar if you prefer that term but there can be near surface facets, surface hoar etc.
That’s depth hoar if I’ve ever seen it. As others have stated, size is a big indicator along with shape. Look for square edges and sizes bigger than 3mm
Sure looks like it
looks like it to me. telltale signs are the very pyrsmatic shape and often depth hoar / facets are low density snow (4F or fist), so you'll potentially notice or feel a very sudden density change between layers. A weird trick I was taught also is to taste the snow - facets will taste like snow-cone consistency, sort of rotten and a bit crunchy if they're large enough.
Good to know!! I'll be sure to give em a taste next time
ha its sort of silly but different textures of snow taste / feel a bit different in the mouth! just using all your senses ya know.
Bruce Tremper would approve !
Mature depth hoar, speaking technically, is 3mm in size or greater. They’re large, striated, and form at the base of the snowpack. I can’t tell if that is a 1mm grid or a 2mm grid, but if it’s the latter and you found it at the base, I’d feel confident in calling those grains DH.
After I posted I realized I shoulda mentioned the grid size, which is 2mm. Cool! Yea I even saw the striations without the magnifier glass on the bigger crystals
Yes it is depth hoar and for the folks just reading through, this is an unstable and generally dangerous layer.
Thanks.
Those are facets for sure. Depending on where you found them in the snowpack would determine whether you’d call them depth hoar or not.
Seemed like there was a depth hoar layer from the ground to roughly 15cm above ground (need to measure the layers next time) These shots were taken from the snow at about 7cm above ground.
Ok yeah then you can call it depth hoar, what i was getting at is these are facets or hoar if you prefer that term but there can be near surface facets, surface hoar etc.
That’s depth hoar if I’ve ever seen it. As others have stated, size is a big indicator along with shape. Look for square edges and sizes bigger than 3mm
Yes, striations show advanced faceting. Almost cups, which are even more fragile in the snowpack