Snow Course Data Tables - Nevada / California
Background: A snow course is a permanent measurement transect where the snowpack's depth and water content are measured at the same locations month-after-month, and year-after-year. Snow courses were the primary means of collecting snowpack data prior to the 1970s when SNOTEL sites began being installed. As a result, snow course data records often start earlier than SNOTEL records. Many snow courses have been measured since the 1930s or before, with the oldest snow courses beginning between 1910 and 1913 in the Lake Tahoe region. While many snow courses continue to be measured each winter, many others have been discontinued and replaced by SNOTEL measurements. Snow course measurements are made by snow surveyors using Federal Snow Samplers otherwise known as "snow tubes" which remove a core of snow. The core is weighed to determine its water content. The design of the snow tubes have changed very little since they were first developed and used in the early 1900s by Dr. James Church on Mt Rose, Nevada. The reported measurement is the average depth and water content from 5-10 measurement points. Snow courses are typically situated in forest openings or meadows protected from the wind. Snow course measurements are only made monthly during the winter, as compared to hourly and daily data reported by SNOTEL sites.
For a map of Nevada and California snow course locations, please click here
NRCS Nevada / Eastern Sierra Snow Course Measurement Schedule : Click Here
Period of Record Monthly Snow Course Data Tables:
Nevada Snow Courses
Select a Snow Course American Beauty - Aerial Marker (15J17) data starts 1964 Baker Creek #1 (14L01) data starts 1942 Baker Creek #2 (14L02) data starts 1942 Baker Creek #3 (14L03) data starts 1942 Bald Mt. (19H01) data starts 1940 Big Creek Campground (17K01) data starts 1942 Big Creek Mine (17K02) data starts 1942 Bird Creek (14K01) data starts 1948 Clear Creek (19K05) data starts 1949 Columbia Basin - Aerial Marker (16H06) data starts 1964 Corduroy Flat Aerial (15L02) data starts 1983 Defiance Mines, Aerial Marker (14K09) data starts 1970 Dry Creek (15J03) data starts 1933 Forty Nine Mtn. (19H03) data starts 1958 Fry Canyon (15H07) data starts 1934 Glenbrook #2 (19K06) data starts 1942 Golconda #2 (17J02) data starts 1958 Gold Creek (15H05) data starts 1932 Harrison Pass #1 (15J10) data starts 1919 Hays Canyon (19H02) data starts 1958 Jack Creek, Lower (16H01) data starts 1921 Jakes Creek - Aerial Marker (14H04) data starts 1983 Kalamazoo Creek (14K08) data starts 1959 Kyle Canyon (15N05) data starts 1941 Lamoille #1 (15J04) data starts 1922 Lamoille #5 (15J08) data starts 1935 Lee Canyon #2 (15N03) data starts 1941 Lee Canyon #3 (15N08) data starts 1962 Little Bally Mt. - Aerial Marker (19H04) data starts 1961 Little Valley (19K03) data starts 1942 Lost Corner Mountain (LCR) data starts 1959 Merritt Mountain - Aerial Marker (15H20) data starts 1965 Midas (16H03) data starts 1940 Mount Rose (19K02) data starts 1910 Murray Summit (14K03) data starts 1940 ONeil Creek (15H25) data starts 2019 Pole Canyon #2 (15J20) data starts 1977 Quinn Ridge AM (17H06) data starts 1959 Rainbow Canyon #2 (15N07) data starts 1947 Robinson Lake - Aerial Marker (15J16) data starts 1966 Robinson Summit (15K01) data starts 1949 Silver Creek #2 (14K07) data starts 1957 Smith Creek (15J19) data starts 1977 Snow Storm Mountain-Am (16H11) data starts 1983 Stag Mountain AM (15H19) data starts 1964 Tent Mtn., Lower - Aerial Marker (15J22) data starts 1968 Tent Mtn., Upper- Aerial Marker (15J23) data starts 1968 Toe Jam - Aerial Marker (16H07) data starts 1961 Tremewan Ranch (15H08) data starts 1932 Trout Creek, Lower (15H10) data starts 1935 Trout Creek, Upper - AM (15H11) data starts 1935 White River #1 (15L01) data starts 1959
California - Eastern Sierra Snow Courses
including some west slope courses near Sierra crest)
Select a Snow Course Blue Lake Ranch (20H14) data starts 1997 Blue Lakes (19L05) data starts 1918 Caples Lake (20L11) data starts 1939 Castle Creek 5 (20K28) data starts 1946 Cedar Pass (20H06) data starts 1930 Clark Fork Meadow (CFM) data starts 1960 Crowder Flat AM (20H02) data starts 1939 Deadman Creek (DDM) data starts 1960 Dismal Swamp #2 (20H12) data starts 1980 Donner Summit (20K10) data starts 1910 Echo Summit (20L05) data starts 1940 Ellery Lake (ELL) data starts 1926 Freel Bench (19L02) data starts 1930 Furnace Flat (20K08) data starts 1918 Highland Meadow (HHM) data starts 1952 Lake Audrain (ABN) data starts 1941 Lake Fordyce (20K07) data starts 1918 Lake Lucille (20L04) data starts 1913 Leavitt Lake (19L38) data starts 1961 Lower Carson Pass (LCP) data starts 1951 Palisades Tahoe #2 (20K19) data starts 1954 Phillips (PHL) data starts 1941 Richardsons #2 (20L03) data starts 1944 Rubicon #1 (20L01) data starts 1910 Rubicon Peak 2 (RP2) data starts 1912 Saddlebag Lake (SDL) data starts 1926 Sawmill Ridge (19L34) data starts 1976 Sonora Pass (19L07) data starts 1930 State Line Am (Ca) (20H01) data starts 1958 Tamarack Flat (TMF) data starts 1939 Tioga Pass (19M01) data starts 1926 Truckee, Upper (19L01) data starts 1930 Upper Carson Pass (19L04) data starts 1930 Virginia Lakes Ridge (19L22) data starts 1969 Ward Creek #2 (20K17) data starts 1913 Webber Lake (20K02) data starts 1925 Webber Peak (20K01) data starts 1922 Willow Flat (19L09) data starts 1925
Other California Snow Courses
Select a Snow Course Adin Mountains (20H08) data starts 1930 Althouse #3 (23G16) data starts 1982 Three Lakes (3LK) data starts 1930 Lake Audrain (ABN) data starts 1941 Abbey (ABY) data starts 1963 Agnew Pass (AGP) data starts 1930 Antelope Ridge (ANR) data starts 1963 Alpha (APH) data starts 1965 Ash Creek (ASH) data starts 1945 Anthony Peak (ATP) data starts 1944 Antelope Springs (ATS) data starts 1939 Bear Basin (BBS) data starts 1947 Blackcap Basin (BCB) data starts 1930 Browns Camp (BCP) data starts 1937 Badger Flat (BDF) data starts 1960 Bell Meadow (BEM) data starts 1937 Big Flat (course) (BFT) data starts 1946 Bighorn Plateau (BGH) data starts 1949 Beach Meadows (BHM) data starts 1930 Beehive Meadow (BHV) data starts 1930 Bloods Creek (BLD) data starts 1978 Bullfrog Lake (BLF) data starts 1932 Black Springs (BLS) data starts 1971 Beard Meadow (BMD) data starts 1930 Blacks Mountain (BMN) data starts 1945 Big Meadows (BMS) data starts 1930 Bench Lake (BNH) data starts 1973 Bonita Meadows (BNM) data starts 1930 Burney Springs (BNS) data starts 1945 Bowman Lake (BOM) data starts 1927 Big Pine Creek 1 (BP1) data starts 1926 Big Pine Creek 2 (BP2) data starts 1926 Big Pine Creek 3 (BP3) data starts 1926 Bishop Pass (BSH) data starts 1930 Bishop Lake (BSP) data starts 1951 Bear Valley Ridge 1 (BV1) data starts 1930 Big Whitney Meadow (BWH) data starts 1948 Brewer Creek (BWR) data starts 1945 Box Camp (BXC) data starts 1979 Colby Meadow (CBM) data starts 1944 Crabtree Meadow (CBT) data starts 1949 Cisco (CCO) data starts 1925 Clark Fork Meadow (CFM) data starts 1960 Chester Flat (CHF) data starts 1930 Chalk Bluff (CHK) data starts 1986 Chilkoot Meadow (CHM) data starts 1930 Chiquito Creek (CHQ) data starts 1939 Church Meadows (CHU) data starts 1931 Chilkoot Lake (CKT) data starts 1930 Clover Meadow (CLM) data starts 1939 Charlotte Ridge (CLT) data starts 1955 Chapman Creek (CMC) data starts 1968 Cora Lakes (CRA) data starts 1939 Corral Flat (CRF) data starts 1938 Corral Meadow (CRM) data starts 1986 Casa Vieja Meadows (CSV) data starts 1930 Courtright (CUR) data starts 1983 Cottonwood Lakes 1 (CW1) data starts 1926 Cottonwood Lakes 2 (CW2) data starts 1926 Cottonwood Pass (CWP) data starts 1948 Coyote Lake (CYT) data starts 1946 Dana Meadows (DAN) data starts 1926 Deadfall Lakes (DDF) data starts 1946 Deadman Creek (DDM) data starts 1960 Dead Horse Canyon (DHC) data starts 1945 Dead Horse Meadow (DHM) data starts 1937 Diamond Crossing (DMN) data starts 1967 Devils Postpile (DPO) data starts 2013 Dodsons Meadow (DSM) data starts 1956 Dutch Lake (DTL) data starts 1938 Dynamite Meadow (DYM) data starts 1955 Eagle Meadow (EGM) data starts 1931 Emerald Lake (EML) data starts 1944 English Mountain (ENM) data starts 1927 East Piute Pass (EPP) data starts 1930 Eureka Bowl (ERB) data starts 1948 Etna Mountain (ETN) data starts 1951 Eureka Lake (EUR) data starts 1939 Frenchman Cove (FCV) data starts 1963 Fred Meadow (FDM) data starts 1930 Feather River Meadow (FEM) data starts 1930 Florence Lake (FLC) data starts 1930 Findley Peak (FNP) data starts 1927 Fredonyer Pass 3 (FP3) data starts 1972 Farewell Gap (FRW) data starts 1952 Gibsonville (GBN) data starts 1950 Gem Pass (GEM) data starts 1931 Gin Flat (course) (GFL) data starts 1930 Giant Forest (GFR) data starts 1930 Gem Lake (GML) data starts 1927 Gianelli Meadow (GNL) data starts 1984 Grizzly Ridge (GRZ) data starts 1965 Guyot Flat (GYF) data starts 1949 Gray Rock Lakes (GYR) data starts 1941 Huckleberry Lake (HCL) data starts 1948 Horse Corral Meadow (HCM) data starts 1930 Highland Meadow (HHM) data starts 1952 Highland Lakes (HIG) data starts 1947 Hockett Meadows (HKM) data starts 1930 Hells Kitchen (HLK) data starts 1968 Helms Meadow (HLM) data starts 1930 Hams Station (HMS) data starts 1937 Harkness Flat (HRF) data starts 1930 Herring Creek (HRG) data starts 1937 Horse Meadow (HRS) data starts 1948 Heart Lake (HRT) data starts 1940 Humbug Summit 2 (HS2) data starts 1993 Huntington Lake (HTT) data starts 1930 Huysink (HYS) data starts 1937 Ice House (IHS) data starts 1932 Jackass Meadow (JCM) data starts 1939 Kerrick Corral (KRC) data starts 1961 Kaiser Pass (KSR) data starts 1930 Kettle Rock (KTL) data starts 1965 Lumberyard 2 (LB2) data starts 1993 Lower Carson Pass (LCP) data starts 1951 Lost Corner Mountain (LCR) data starts 1959 Lower Kibbie (LKB) data starts 1937 Lower Lassen Peak (LLP) data starts 1930 Long Meadow (kings R) (LMD) data starts 1930 Little Shasta (LSH) data starts 1946 Letterbox (LTT) data starts 1940 Lexington (LXN) data starts 1972 Lyons Creek (LYN) data starts 1937 Mammoth Pass (ladwp) (MAM) data starts 1928 Middle Boulder 3 (MB3) data starts 1948 Middle Boulder 1 (MBL) data starts 1946 Miranda Cabin (MCB) data starts 1967 Mcelroy Pass (MCP) data starts 1939 Mount Dyer 2 (MD2) data starts 1952 Medicine Lake (MDC) data starts 1938 Mount Dyer 1 (MDY) data starts 1930 Mount Hough (MHG) data starts 1965 Mill Creek Flat (MLF) data starts 1930 Mammoth (MMT) data starts 1928 Minarets 2 (MN2) data starts 1928 Mineral King (MNK) data starts 1948 Mono Pass (MNP) data starts 1950 Mount Shasta (MSH) data starts 1930 Mount Stover (MSV) data starts 1931 Mumbo Basin (MUM) data starts 1947 Meadow Lake (MWL) data starts 1920 North Fork Sacramento R (NFS) data starts 1936 Niagara Flat (NGF) data starts 1930 Nellie Lake (NLL) data starts 1944 New Manzanita Lake (NMN) data starts 2016 Norvell Flat (NRF) data starts 1940 North Lake (NTH) data starts 1930 Old Enterprise Mill (OEM) data starts 1937 Paradise Meadow (PDS) data starts 1946 Podesta (PDT) data starts 1965 Pacific Valley (PFV) data starts 1930 Peregoy Meadows (PGM) data starts 1931 Phillips (PHL) data starts 1941 Pilot Peak (dwr) (PLP) data starts 1972 Poison Meadow (PMD) data starts 1944 Pioneer Basin (PNB) data starts 1949 Piute Pass (PPS) data starts 2016 Parks Creek (PRK) data starts 1936 Post Corral Meadow (PRM) data starts 1930 Plaskett Meadows (PSM) data starts 1944 Panther Meadow (PTM) data starts 1925 Quaking Aspen (QKA) data starts 1937 Quinn Ranger Station (QRS) data starts 1930 Robbs Valley (RBV) data starts 1932 Rock Creek 1 (RC1) data starts 1926 Rock Creek 2 (RC2) data starts 1926 Rock Creek 3 (RC3) data starts 1926 Rock Creek (RCR) data starts 1949 Robinson Cow Camp Snow Course (RCW) data starts 1972 Round Corral (RDC) data starts 1938 Red Mountain (RDM) data starts 1919 Lower Relief Valley (REL) data starts 1930 Rafferty Meadows (RFM) data starts 1948 Ridge Trail (RGT) data starts 2007 Relief Dam (RLD) data starts 1930 Round Meadow (RMD) data starts 1930 Ramshaw Meadows (RMM) data starts 1930 Rose Marie (RMR) data starts 1946 Red Rock Mountain (RRM) data starts 1946 Rattlesnake Creek Ba (RTT) data starts 1973 Rowell Meadow (RWM) data starts 1931 Sachse Springs (SAS) data starts 1948 Scenic Meadow (SCE) data starts 1973 Soda Creek Flat (SCF) data starts 2016 Sandy Meadows (SDM) data starts 1949 Sand Flat (course) (SFT) data starts 1945 Shimmy Lake (SHM) data starts 1947 Sapps Hollow (SHW) data starts 1992 Siberian Pass (SIB) data starts 1948 Silver Lake (SIL) data starts 1930 Stanislaus Meadow (SLM) data starts 1971 Slate Creek (SLT) data starts 1945 Statum Meadow (SMD) data starts 1930 Snow Mountain (SMT) data starts 1930 Snow Flat (SNF) data starts 1930 Lake Spaulding (SPD) data starts 1927 Spotted Fawn (SPF) data starts 1948 Sunnyside Meadow (SSM) data starts 1972 Stouts Meadow (STM) data starts 1945 Ostrander Lake (STR) data starts 1938 Swampy John (SWJ) data starts 1951 Sawmill (SWM) data starts 1926 Sweetwater (SWT) data starts 1936 Talbot Camp (TBC) data starts 1940 Lake Thomas A Edison (THE) data starts 2016 Thousand Lakes (THL) data starts 1946 Tamarack Flat (TMF) data starts 1939 Tamarack Creek (TMK) data starts 1960 Tyndall Creek (TND) data starts 1949 Tenaya Lake (TNY) data starts 1930 Tragedy Creek (TRG) data starts 1965 Trailhead (TRL) data starts 1982 Tuolumne Meadows (TUM) data starts 1930 Upper Burnt Corral (UBC) data starts 1927 Upper Kibbie Ridge (UKR) data starts 1937 Volcanic Knob (VLC) data starts 1946 Vernon Lake (VNN) data starts 1947 Wabena Meadows (WBM) data starts 1937 Woodchuck Meadow (WDH) data starts 1930 Wheeler Lake (WHE) data starts 1937 Whalan (WHN) data starts 1940 Wolford Cabin (WLC) data starts 1949 Wilma Lake (WLW) data starts 1946 Wrights Lake (WRG) data starts 1956 Warner Creek (WRN) data starts 1930 Yuba Pass (YBP) data starts 1937
Idaho and Oregon Snow Courses near Nevada border
Select a Snow Course Langford Flat, ID (14G08) data starts 1956 Bald Mt, OR (17D10) data starts 1960 Barley Camp, OR (20G23) data starts 1981 Govt Corrals, OR (18G04A) data starts 2002 Louse Canyon, OR (17G04) data starts 1959 Oregon Canyon, OR (18G11) data starts 1959 Pueblo Summit, OR (18G09) data starts 1982 Trout Creek, OR (18G05) data starts 1959
Back Estimated Monthly SNOTEL SWE Data (based on correlation with discontinued snow course): Click Here