Understanding snow reports is a crucial skill for any skier or snowboarder. If you’ve ever looked at a mountain’s daily update and felt like you were reading a foreign language, you aren’t alone. Words like “packed powder”, “corduroy”, and “crud” are thrown around constantly.

Here is a quick breakdown of what to look for when you check a mountain’s report before heading out.

1. Base Depth

The “base” is the average depth of the snow that has accumulated and settled on the mountain over the season. A deep base (e.g., 50+ inches) means that the underlying rocks and stumps are well covered. A shallow base (under 20 inches) means early-season conditions—ski with caution!

2. New Snow (24hr / 48hr / 7 Days)

This is what everyone looks at first. “New Snow” tells you how much fresh powder has fallen recently.

  • 1-3 inches: Just a dust on crust. It freshens things up but won’t be a deep powder day.
  • 4-8 inches: A great powder day. Enough to float, but not enough to get hopelessly stuck.
  • 12+ inches: Epic conditions. Grab your wide skis or setback your snowboard bindings!

3. Surface Conditions

This is where the jargon gets heavy.

  • Packed Powder (PP): The holy grail of groomers. The snow is soft but compressed, making for perfect edge grip and smooth carving.
  • Corduroy: Freshly groomed snow that literally looks like the ridges of corduroy pants. Fast and fun.
  • Machine Groomed (MG): Standard packed snow, though it might be a little firmer or icier than true “packed powder”.
  • Crud: What powder turns into after thousands of people ski through it. It’s chopped up, uneven, and requires strong legs to navigate.
  • Spring Conditions / Corn: Found in warmer weather, this is a granular, slushy snow that forms during the daily melt-freeze cycle.

Using Webcams with Snow Reports

While a snow report is great, it’s ultimately just a number. The best way to verify a snow report is to literally look at the mountain. That’s why we built Ski Cams Live. By checking the live feeds, particularly the “Snow Stake” cameras, you can visually verify exactly how much snow fell overnight before you make the drive!