6.1.7 Depth
Depth measurements are important to the avalanche community, hydrologists, and ski resorts since they indicate the amount of snow on the ground and provide an estimate of the amount of snow that would slide were an avalanche to occur.
A simple way to measure the thickness of a layer or the entire snowpack is to use a ruler. Since snow depths can vary widely in complex terrain, it is important to take multiple measurements.
Click the links to hear Ethan Greene describe another technique for measuring snow depth and the impact of spatial variability on depth measurements.