Instead of looking at the snow and thinking "it's
cold, it's white and it's wet," lets dig deeper. When
we start measuring characteristics of the snowpack and its
effect on ecosystems and people, we find a fascinating world
of chemistry and physics at work. People study snow because
it affects our daily lives. Snow is a huge source of fresh
water; it generates a tourism-based economy; it has the
power to shut down cities and towns in a matter of hours;
and it can be a dangerous force when combined with gravity
to create an avalanche.
Students take snow pit measurements
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Snow is an ever changing medium for scientific study. We
can observe the winter's weather history through the various
snowpack layers and the degree of change in snow grains.
From these observations we can calculate the amount of water
available each year for homes, industry and agriculture.
We can also better understand the risks of avalanches and
minimize the impact of avalanches on transportation, homes,
recreation and lives. By monitoring winter ecology, we can
observe the busy lives of plants and animals on the forest
floor who are under the protection and insulation of the
snowpack. In addition, we can watch animals migrate, hibernate
or change color to adapt to the changing snow environment.
Snow hides beauty and information in its depths. For students
at Keystone Science School, snow represents a world of scientific
questions with a different discovery around every turn in
the trail and change in season.
Other Resources:
Environmental Monitoring 
Teachers, learn about service learning opportunities and how to become a Take Pride in America School. 
