Welcome back to the Official FNDN Blog!
With winter in full swing, I thought it would be awesome to educate you on the different phases of snow, because believe it or not, there's more than one!
Powder Snow
For skiiers and snowboarders, this is the best kind of snow out there.
This is the snow that just fell, untouched by anyone and begging to be rode on.
It's smooth, light, and excellent to glide on. To top it off, it falls in layers, almost like a pillow. As a result, it provides excellent cushion if you fall.
But be sure to keep your speed up, because if you go too slow, it will just bunch up and stop you dead in your tracks.
Crud Snow
Commonly accepted as the next phase of powder, this is when powder has been rode on so much that it begins to compact.
As a result, it becomes uneven with slippery patches and lumps.
It's not the best for riding, but it's definitely still ride-able.
It's always important to watch where you're going, but more importantly so when riding on crud.
Crust
Crust happens when the sun and wind melts the top layer of snow and then the cold freezes it again.
This layer will then sit on the softer powder snow beneath, and sometimes be covered by another layer of powder.
This makes it dangerous, especially if you're flying down a hill and hit a patch of crust with your shins.
So be sure to watch out for crust, and as always, watch where you're going!
Slush
Slush is that wet, goopy stuff you find kicking around sewer drains.
It happens when snow begins to melt and becomes more 'wet'.
It isn't hard to ride on, but it isn't as easy as powder.
And of course, get ready to get wet.
Ice
Let's be clear - ice can not be found on slopes.
What is found on slopes is just snow that has been melted and frozen many times, which results in icy, compacted snow.
This is the complete opposite of powder, and is by far the most dangerous. You can reach super high speeds, but if you crash, you will find that powder is much more forgiving
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You learn something new every day, I sure was stumped when I started learning about this!
Do you know any other phases of snow?
Let me know in the comments, and thanks for reading!
Dan
Author / Ice Man
FNDN
P.S. Our Heated 3.7V Sports Socks keep your toes warm during any phase of snow, and are great for winter sports!
