What makes Powder Perfect
Champagne, freshies, shred sugar, nutfluff, kool aid. Powder has been coined with thousands of names over the past century. Whatever you call it, wherever you ski it, there’s one important thing to remember. Not all fresh snow is considered equal. Dry, light, and fluffy snow is what fills the dreams of skiers and is what us powder hounds consider perfect.
You may already be very familiar with the fundamental difference between wet snow and dry snow underneath your skis. The “dryness” of the snow can take a powder day from solid to epic. So how can you determine how wet or dry the powder is going to be?
It’s time for a little good old fashioned pow-science. There are three instrumental factors that will determine how perfect the snow will be.
Table of Contents
The Snow-Liquid Ratio
The snow to liquid ratio is simple. It determines the amount of water and air in any given amount of snow. For instance, if you took 10” of snow and melted it down and you were left with 1” of water the snow to liquid ratio would be 10:1. The higher the snow to liquid ratio the better. The perfect ratio is 20:1, this is the kind of stuff that is light, fluffy and exploding in your face. We more commonly see a ratio of 10-12:1 in the coastal mountain ranges of BC. This wetter pow is still extremely fun but since the snow is packed together more it will ski a little bit heavier.
The Temperature
The Temperature plays the largest role in determining how perfect the powder is going to be. A typical rule of thumb is the colder it is at the summit the better. Temperatures between -12 to -18 degrees Celsius at or above the summit will create the lightest possible snow. There
is a limit to coldness however, temperatures below -18 could lead to a feeling of slower and denser snow.
The Wind
An unsuspecting predictor of heavenly pow, the wind speeds are very important in determining the shredability of deep snow. The less windy the better. When wind speeds are high this can cause the snowflakes to bump into one another, losing their sharpness and packing them together tighter. These tightly packed wind affected snowflakes can feel more like a poofy groomed run under your planks. Look for wind speeds below 20mph and you will be golden.
How you can predict the perfect powder day In 3 simple steps?
Let’s be honest. Even the best meteorologists in the world are wrong all the time so you can never really predict the perfect day. However, these three simple tricks will give you the best opportunity to be on the mountain for when the stars align.
- Be Flexible
Unfortunately, the weather doesn’t give a damn about your work schedule. In order to give yourself the best chance for the perfect powder you’re going to have to be flexible. If the perfect system is on route to your favorite ski hill you need to be prepared to drop everything, call in sick and go or else you will be stuck skiing others tracks all weekend.
- Check the Weather
Use the tools you learned above and check the weather for the perfect conditions. I would always recommend looking at the 3 day forecast as mountain conditions are constantly changing. Use the weather indicators mentioned above. Look for lots of precipitation, cold temperatures and low winds.
- Just Go
Lastly, do not obsess, this is the most crucial piece of advice. JUST GO. A day on the ski hill always beats a day at home or in the office. If you’re on the fence about heading out to the hill the answer is YES. The more times you just go, the more opportunity you have to get the best tracks of your life.
The lighter the pow the better. But with the invention of ultrawide underfoot skis, heavy powder skiing has become a luxury as well.
What was your best powder day like?
Let me know in the comments.
