Specifications

6. if time or weather constraints prevent digging a snow pit at every stake, pay

particular care when probing to “feel” the snowpack stratigraphy and assess how

similar it appears to be to other stake sites where a snow pit has been dug. A snow

pit is required in any case if the

elevation of the stake site or the

snowpack depth are significantly different from the closest snow pit measured.

7. dig a snow pit in the surroundings of the stake site without disturbing the stake,

and survey it following the procedure in the “snow pits” section.

8. recover the emerging lengths of aluminum tube from the old stake

9. mark the top of the remaining old stake by over-expanding one of the old joints in

such a way that it will permanently remain attached to the stake end.

10. drill the new stake close to the existing one using the Kovacs drill (pay special

care when using the Milwakee electric drill to avoid being hardly hit by the drill

in case the drill suddenly gets stuck in the hole. The two strokes engine has lower

torque.

11. never leave the drill sitting still in the hole to avoid it getting frozen to the hole, or

otherwise it will be lost.

12. measure the length of the new stake above the

ice and snow surface

13. place the GPS antenna on top of the stake and start a measurement with the most

accurate survey mode available (see GPS section)

14. probe with an avalanche probe the snow depth in the immediate surroundings of

the new stake and record all measurements, not just the average

15. upon leaving, take a picture documenting the site conditions

Required equipment:

 map and updated coordinates of the stakes

 handheld GPS with waypoints in memory marking the position of stakes

 measuring tape

 camera and field notebook

 avalanche probe

 spare aluminium tubing and connection fittings

 snow pit kit (see below)

Snow pits

The most important data obtained from a snow pit are the water equivalent depth and the

density profile of the snow pack. Additional observations should be carried out whenever

possible following this priority: temperature profile, snow crystallography, dusts layers,

penetrability profile. The snow pit will be surveyed following this procedure: