Modern Snow Measurement Technologies

Instruments and software that enable snow and avalanche professionals to quantify the snowpack

Snow Hardness Profiles in Seconds

The Snow Scope Digital Penetrometer

Rapidly collect objective snow hardness profiles, document spatial variability, and assess stratigraphy without touching your shovel. By measuring snow profiles in seconds, the Snow Scope Probe allows the collection of orders of magnitude more snowpack data than traditional methods. All in a collapsible instrument about the size and weight of a normal avalanche probe.

Measure Snow Hardness Profiles in Seconds

Automatically Document and Track Snowpack Variability

Record Objective, Repeatable, and Accurate Stratigraphy

See more hand hardness profile comparisons

Learn More about the Snow Scope Probe

From the Field

"Collecting snowpack data along the Milford Road can be extremely challenging. The Snow Scope Probe has significantly improved our snowpack field data by allowing us to sample multiple sites over a broad area quickly and accurately."

Brad Carpenter
Milford Road Alliance
“The Scope continues to add value to our snow measurement portfolio, especially in its ability to detect hardness variations throughout the snowpack column”

Gabe Wolken
University of Alaska Fairbanks
“I am convinced that the wider dissemination of the Snow Scope can contribute to improving the evaluation of the stability of the snowpack and the safety of all of us”

GA Davide Di Giosaffate
President of the Abruzzo Alpine Guide College
"Having used the Snow Scope Probe extensively in conjunction with a research project, I can attest to the simplicity of the system and the ease of gathering data. The immediate display of data in profile form is especially exciting as it provides instant and straightforward feedback to assist with decision-making."

Nata de Leeuw
Montana State University

Your Digital Fieldbook

The Snow Scope App

Create, View, Annotate, Share, and Compare Snowpack Data. Designed to be used in harsh conditions, the Snow Scope App is the best way to record snowpit data in the field, and share and analyze the data back inside. Less Documentation, More Observation.

Simple Yet Powerful In-Field Documentation

Built For Harsh Conditions with an Intuitive Interface and Audio Notes

Sync and Export Snowpack Data Across Your Team’s Devices

Learn More about the Snow Scope App

Our Users

Scientists and Researchers

Collect objective snow data at a scale never before possible. Deploy Snow Scope Probes or Apps for data collection at low cost and high ease of use. Easily export your data for analysis in .caaml or .csv format. Envision entirely new experiments only possible with the highly scalable and objective data of the Snow Scope Probe.
Snow Safety Teams

Use the Snow Scope to create a repeatable, objective dataset of snowpack measurements and see how your snowpack is changing over time. The automated slope transect feature allows you to see how the snowpack changes across a slope, giving you better understanding of likely trigger points and potential slab size.
Guiding Operations

Take better advantage of your short data collection windows with the huge efficiency gains of the Snow Scope Probe and App. Rapidly quantify many points on new aspects or areas at a speed never before possible. Spend less time documenting and more time sharing, discussing, and analyzing the snowpack with your team.
Avalanche Forecasters

Monitor spatial and temporal variabilty throughout the season and quickly document new areas with the Snow Scope Probe. Use the web and mobile apps to build a snowpit database over multiple seasons. Label layers to track them throughout the season, and automated slope transects to better visualize the snowpack.
Snow Educators

Teach students snowpit observation recording with the simple interface of the Snow Scope app, and get them to stick to recording habits on a device they will always bring with them.
Use the Snow Scope Probe to quickly show students how complex and variable the snowpack can be.