At Breckenridge, we are committed to reporting our snow accurately and transparently, according to strict standard operating procedures for the industry. Although measuring and reporting snow is a simple and straightforward process, interpreting what the snow report means to the skier can be challenging. With 2,901 acres spanning five peaks and 3,400 vertical feet of elevation, Breckenridge Ski Resort is a vast area. Snowfall from each storm can vary widely across our mountain, but reporting standards and consistency require that we measure snow at a single location every day, season to season.
Daily snowfall measurements are made on a flat white board with a stake on it that is graduated in inches. The height of snow can be read directly from this stake at 5:00 AM each morning. After each 5:00 AM reading, the board is swept clean. The height of snow on the board at any time is therefore the amount of snow that has fallen since the previous 5:00 AM sweep. We also read our stakes at 4:00 PM each day. That way, we can also report the amount of snow which fell overnight (from 4:00 PM to 5:00 AM) which is a fraction of the total 24-hour snow total. Most skiers like this report since it shows the amount of snow which fell after the area closed the day before. It is the fresh snow which hasn't been skied yet.
In addition to the 24-hour snowfall measurements, we also record the settled base snow depth each morning at 5:00 AM. This figure is read from a permanent stake that measures height of settled snow above the ground. Reading this stake is a bit more complicated due to fact that a settlement cone typically forms around the permanent stake since heat from the stake itself causes the snow next to it to melt or settle faster than it would in a regular field of snow.
Base depths are therefore read as the level of snow outside the influence of the settlement cone, or about 2 feet from the stake. To make this measurement consistently, the patroller averages the height of snow against the stake in front of and behind the stake.
Our snow reporting location is in the Back Bowls on Peak 8, near the bottom of 6-Chair. At 11,237 feet, this site is almost exactly at the middle elevation of the resort (which spans from 9,600 ft to 13,000 ft). Most resorts report from within the upper third of the their mountain's elevation. The snow stake you see on our web cam is located at this site, and this is the single location where we record the official snowfall data that is passed on to the media. We have been recording snow at this location for more than 20 years.