How many inches

[onstar1]

How many inches do you consider it to be a good powder day?

 

[Tricia]

Its all relative.
When I lived in Michigan, 4-6 inches was a good powder day.
In the Sierra 2-3 feet is a good powder day.

 

[John O]

Man, it depends on so many things.

In addition to what @Tricia said, it definitely depends on the snow quality. I've had deep days that were anything but "good powder days". I've learned to keep my expectations in check until I see how the snow came in, both in terms of moisture content and what the wind did to it as/after it fell. And sometimes, finding the right aspects on the mountain is what makes the difference between a great day and an exhausting day dealing with dense funky snow. And sometimes, it depends on what's underneath that new snow. I've had 6" of fresh ski *way* better than a foot, because that foot is on top of a layer of refrozen crud.

I could give you a number, and then also rattle of tales of days we got that number and it still wasn't a "good powder day", and vice versa.

 

[Talisman]

The crowd factor attracted to larger snow accumulations can track out powder quicker than a "sleeper" 3-4 inch snowfall that settled on a soft base when only the locals show up and fresh tracks last for days.

 

[Josh Matta]

1 inch of moisture content with no crowds.

or wind that blew in but didnt slab the snow.

 

[SSSdave]

How many inches do you consider it to be a good powder day?

There is Powder, and then there is POWDER, and then there is POWDER.

Would rather ski 12 inches of snow that fell while resort slope temperatures were 25F or lower versus any depth including multi feet that fell with temperatures on resort slopes at 30F to 32F. And would rather ski 2 feet of snow that fell with temperatures 10F to 19F than 6 feet of 25F snow. In other words, drier colder lighter fresh snow allows getting down deeper each turn, has less forward resistance moving through, explodes in exciting cold smoke, that are more important facets than depth.

Now as to how many inches are required before powder skiing meets the threshold of giving me enough motivation to drive 4 hours to a Tahoe resort just to ski fresh? I would say about 10 inches of snow that fell during mid 20F temps. Anything less than that, even a couple inches, improves the snow feel experience on any slopes including groomed, however the powder bouncing fresh snow experience does require some depth or one increasingly feels the firm snow underneath that is not as enjoyable as when that cannot be felt.

Rossi S7 tracks after 24 inches of really cold dry snow fell:

 

[Andy Mink]

Edge deep. Can't be too picky.

 

[CalG]

Really!

What ski are you riding? ;-)

If you are running rocker 115 or more, 3 inches of champagne will float your boats.

I'm old school, I like to move up and down though blower that has me yearning for a snorkel.

 

[noncrazycanuck]

mid calf on a clear day works for me.
at least knee high when it requires braille skiing.

 

[Eleeski]

Inches? Don't you mean feet? Really you should think metric. Meters!

Whatever gives you the occasional face shot.

Eric

 

[Lauren]

It’s all about the base.

4 inches on top of the 2 feet that fell two days before > 4 inches that fell after a freeze/thaw/freeze cycle > 4 inches on top of October dirt

 

[Guy in Shorts]

Takes at least two inches to be a minor powder day. Good powder days have much more. Epic powder days are measured in feet.

 

[PinnacleJim]

In the east its more about the moisture content and the wind. Since we typically are starting out with a firm slick base, the best is when we get some heavy wetter snow that will stick to the base followed by colder temps and thus lighter snow on top. And little to no wind. Doesn't happen that way very often, but when it does........

 

[Dwight]

3cm works for me.

 

[graham418]

2- 4 inches is a good day in Ontario. It sounds better in metric.. .5 to 10 cm

 

[Wilhelmson]

Anything but rain!

 

[Tricia]

It’s all about the base.

4 inches on top of the 2 feet that fell two days before > 4 inches that fell after a freeze/thaw/freeze cycle > 4 inches on top of October dirt

 

[Dave Petersen]

Its all relative.
When I lived in Michigan, 4-6 inches was a good powder day.
In the Sierra 2-3 feet is a good powder day.

Exactly what I was going to say!

 

[Dwight]

When I lived in Michigan, 4-6 inches was a good powder day.

Go now in the U.P. @Quinn Trumbower had waist deep in some spots. Others had knee high.

 

[Tricia]

Go now in the U.P. @Quinn Trumbower had waist deep in some spots. Others had knee high.

I recall a cousin who went to Michigan Tech and never came home because it was a pain to drive in the feet of snow that they would get in the winter.