With record-breaking snowfall coating much of the mountain west, everyone from early-season PCT thru-hikers to day trippers are asking the same question: how much snow is on the trail? The answer could have far-reaching consequences, from the gear you bring, to modifying your route, to skipping sections of the trail entirely.
While we can’t magically melt the snow for you, we can give you a very good estimate of how much of the white stuff is on any given part of the trail right now. See how much snow is on the trail with our Snow Depth map.
Inspired by a thru-hiker looking to track snow depths along the Pacific Crest Trail with Gaia GPS, the Snow Depth map assists with planning journeys of all sizes. Now hikers and outdoor adventurers can examine how many centimeters of snow exist in specific areas by referencing color-coded indicators of coverage.
SNODAS Sourced Data
The NOAA National Weather Service’s National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center (NOHRSC) Snow Data Assimilation System (SNODAS) source all data for snow depth values. The SNODAS modeling and data assimilation system was developed by NOHRSC to gather information from satellite, airborne platforms, and ground stations to predict snow depths. Climatologists, ecologists, hydrologists, and other professionals rely on the data and now adventurers can too.
Use Cases for Route Planning
When referencing snow depths, remember that estimates are not based on actual observations, but product model output. These data predictions are best for checking seasonal snow-cover rather than exact snowfall totals. However, snow depth totals are updated every 24 hours by both NOAA and Gaia GPS.
If you’re looking to find snow totals for a storm overnight or specific regions, reference your local climate center or weather source. SNODAS recommends American Association of State Climatologists, NOAA Regional Climate Centers, and NOAA National Climatic Data Center. Pair Snow Depth overlays with Snowfall Forecast and Slope Angle overlays to gather more information for backcountry travel.
How to Add the Snow Depth Map
The Snow Depth map is available with a Premium Membership. To add this map, visit the Feature/Weather Overlays map source categories and add “Snow Depth.” Access the legend by tapping the info icon in the left corner of the map screen of your phone or hovering over the layer on gaiagps.com
Get the Snow Depth map with a Premium Membership. Premium also unlocks the full 300+ map catalog and lets you download your maps to use out of cell service.
