Question: Snow types

[newboots]

I’ve been reading about “dry” Western snow, Sierra cement, and other varieties of snow. I think I can imagine powder that lasts - dry - but what is Sierra cement? Is it heavier because it’s wetter? If so, how is it different from Eastern (non-powder) snow?

I want to get out West to try your famous powder. But mostly I want to get on a mountain and ski!

My new skis had their bindings mounted today and they are resting comfortably in the Blizzard Memorial Basement with dear BF’s skis.

 

[santacruz skier]

Yep Sierra Cement is heavy because of the high moisture content. When storms come in by the time they get to the Rockies most of the moisture is out and is significantly drier. Usually in Tahoe when temps are higher and it is snowing the snowfall is heavy and wet and hard to push through....
When snow is dry as in Steamboat and/or many areas in Utah you can float easily.... does that make sense? So Sierra Cement is not ideal but it's mostly what we get.....

 

[CarverJill]

I think Sierra Cement is like east coast powder. I grew up skiing in the East where when it snows a lot the stuff is HEAVY. I was never a fan of powder in the east especially when it was in the range over 6". I was in Mammoth (the hoe of Sierra Cement) during a storm back in 2005 or so and it was similar, heavy and hard to ski in. I should clarify that I didn't have the right skis for it (short narrow waist skis) but really struggled to keep my tips up. I don't have a lot of experience in west coast powder, in fact since I have had my skis with a 98mm waist I haven't had a true west coast powder day so maybe I'm totally wrong.

 

[nopoleskier]

"GACK" comes to mind when I think of Wet Western snow and Eastern wet powder. When you're in it it's just Gack.
It looks good but is hard to ski. Western powder is Lovely!! It billows around you when you ski, it's like floating on a cloud, even Western Packed powder is SO Soft, in the East we are always "on edge" the base is always Firm, out west you sink in if you edge to hard, you use less effort (IMHO) out west. We occasionally get nice powder in the east but it is usually good for about 1-3hrs then it turns to gack.

@newboots your skis look lovely, you will have a ball on them!!

 

[newboots]

Okay, this is helpful @nopoleskier. I know when we have deep snow that's wetter, it's extremely hard to ski. I also find soft powder difficult to ski, but I've only tried it twice as a rank beginner - we don't get that many opportunities!

One of these days I'll be trying that dry powder out west! Still finding the challenges I need right here.

 

[Christy]

Keep in mind that moisture content can vary even within the same place. The time I went to Steamboat temps were right around freezing so the snow that fell was very heavy. I've had very heavy leg breaker snow in Whistler but also very nice light dry snow. Here in the PNW it's all about what temperature it is when it snows. If it's snowing and colder-- less than 25°, but especially if it's down around 20 or so-- it's going to be some really lovely light snow. But if temps are around freezing and the forecast calls for a lot of snow, you know it's going to be really heavy.

The only place outside the PNW where I've had good snowy days when traveling is Sun Valley, and the snow there doesn't feel any different to me than it does here.

In general you need to be really lucky to travel and get a bona fide powder day. Even in places that are famous for it, it really doesn't happen that much.

 

[mustski]

The best way to find powder is to travel at the last minute when the storm is fairly certain. Then fly in a day ahead of the storm. My powder experience is quite limited because of picky, picky bosses who expect me to show up for work EVERY day. The light, fluffy powder is much easier to ski that the Sierra Cement.

 

[VickiK]

The nerve of those bosses. Mine's just the same.

 

[santacruz skier]

That's why you guys should retire.

 

[VickiK]

2020!

 

[santacruz skier]

Here in the PNW it's all about what temperature it is when it snows.

I think it's the same in Tahoe.... When temps are down to the single digits or teens, the snow or fresh powder is a dream...

 

[nopoleskier]

Western 'powder' seems to last all day, Eastern powder turns to gack quickly..
I've been lucky and had super nice powder days on my trips West. (hope I didn't jinx myself)
that said since they are far and few between in the East I am not picky when I get 6 or more inches out west.

 

[santacruz skier]

Western 'powder' seems to last all day

only if you ski where no one else has been

 

[nopoleskier]

only if you ski where no one else has been

that happened at Powder Mt. Never crossed anyone's tracks, never skied a groomer except on run offs to a lift! Best powder day EVER! was a DIVA West trip...

 

[Christy]

only if you ski where no one else has been

Ditto. Sure, if you manage to find stashes that others have missed. But I'm always shocked at how fast new snow gets skied out. How can I get to the base when lifts open at Sun Valley on a weekday but somehow the snow is skied out by the time I get to a run?

 

[nopoleskier]

Ditto. Sure, if you manage to find stashes that others have missed. But I'm always shocked at how fast new snow gets skied out. How can I get to the base when lifts open at Sun Valley on a weekday but somehow the snow is skied out by the time I get to a run?

No Friends on a Powder day.........

 

[marzNC]

Western 'powder' seems to last all day, Eastern powder turns to gack quickly..
I've been lucky and had super nice powder days on my trips West. (hope I didn't jinx myself)
that said since they are far and few between in the East I am not picky when I get 6 or more inches out west.

Also helps to have a local show you where the powder lingers in the trees. @dloveski did that for me and my friends at Brighton. Of course, during late season at Alta fresh powder sometimes only lasts for a morning. I've skied powder > 6 inches pretty much every late season trip since 2008. Extended a few of the trips with my daughter (in elementary school) for a couple days just to catch a powder storm.

Can also get lucky in the northeast. I did a little ski safari to northern VT a few years ago. Pico, Sugarbush, and MRG starting on a Monday. It had snowed Sunday afternoon/night and stayed cold. I certainly wasn't expecting powder in Pico trees or soft powder bumps at Sugarbush when I planned the trip. But I had flexibility since I was driving. Opted to go farther north to avoid a snowstorm in southern VT because I didn't want to be driving on roads with too much snow in a minivan that was not set up for winter driving.

Sugarbush 03Mar2015, random skier on soft bumps with cold snow