6.1.3 Manual measurements
Manual, onsite observations are typically taken in snow pits dug out with shovels. Visual observations are particularly good at revealing crystalline and other characteristics that are important to snowpack stability and melting.
Ideally, snow should be observed in its native state, undisturbed by tracks, vegetation, rocks, or collapsed layers. The walls of the pit should be vertical and clean, and straight, vertical columns should be sampled.