# Depth hoar?



## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

I took this pic in Tokyo's east gardens in early feb this year purely because it fascinated me. It had snowed a few days earlier and there were still patches of snow on the ground as you can see. This particular section had been lifted up by what looked like vertical columns and pushed the snow patch up by at least an inch. I took the pic which is out of focus I know lol and thought nothing of it.

Now I am half way through Bruce Trempers book "Staying alive in avalanche terrain" and it made me think that what I seen in tokyo was hoar of some type. The air was very cold, the ground was obviously warmer, the snow was only 1/4" deep so the temperature gradient could have easily been a few degrees over a 1/4". Pure hoar growing conditions.

Am I tripping out here or is it a great miniature example of depth hoar with a hard slab on top?


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Sort of looks like it. Hard to tell, there is so little. I wish that was our depth hoar problem in Colorado... 

Depth Hoar is also described as "sugar" snow. It's that very granular, non supportable snow. Almost no bonding what so ever. You'll know it when you find it. It sucks.


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## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

That last pic is exactly the same thing. Frost heave it is.
Im going to read that book 2 or 3 times before i take my level 1 course later this year, its fascinating.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

"Frost Heave". Learn something new everyday...


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## chupacabraman (Jul 30, 2009)

Nice post Snowolf! Sublimation, frost heave... welcome to Canada :laugh:


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