To view snowpack levels and their time-dependence, mouse-click on three images corresponding to the same pair of county highpoints. Three new windows will open, and, upon re-sizing, enables direct comparison to roughly infer the RATE of snow decay. The color scale estimates total snow depth and, through color CHANGES, the implied rate of snow-melt.

As of July 1, 2011, Borah Peak (Custer County, Idaho) and Diamond Peak (Butte County, Idaho) appear to be nearly snow-free compared with other ultra prominences in the Pacific Northwest. In contrast, Cloud Peak in Wyoming has a moderate amount of snow on the long approach hike.

Closer examination reveals that remaining snow on both Borah and Diamond Peaks are on their eastern slopes. The standard climbing route for these mountains are from the west and east, respectively. It might be well, therefore, to consider a climb of Diamond Peak from the west until snow is no longer an issue climbing the moderately-angled rock sections, interspersed with scree, on the final 500 vertical meters.

As of July 1, 2011 Big Horn is 2 months behind in spring snow-melt compared with 2007 when it was climbed by Greg Slayden et al: the amount of snow coverage and depth is roughly equivalent to that observed on May 1, 2007 - and as shown in a set of five images below.

As of July 1, 2011 Mount Stone is 7 weeks behind in spring snow-melt compared with 2010 when the author, Adam Helman, turned-back due to unconsolidated snow at only 4,300 feet on June 26.

As of July 3, 2011 Mount Spickard is at least 1 1/2 months behind in spring snow-melt compared with 2009 - here considered as a more "typical" winter/spring season.

The procedure for obtaining this type of display is provided below.

Grays Harbor (as Wynoochee Pt) and Mason County (as Mt Stone), Washington - June 26, 2010     July 3, 2010     July 10, 2010     July 17, 2010     compared against     July 1, 2011     July 8, 2011     July 13, 2011

Lewis County (as Big Horn), Washington - May 1, 2007     May 16, 2007     June 1, 2007     July 1, 2007     compared against     July 1, 2011     July 8, 2011     July 13, 2011

Mount Spickard, Washington - May 1, 2009     May 18, 2009     June 1, 2009     July 3, 2009     compared against     July 3, 2011

Adams County (as Monument Peak) and S/He Devil, Idaho - June 17     June 24     July 1     July 8     July 13

Valley County (as Big Baldy) Idaho - July 1     July 8     July 13

Custer County (as Borah Peak) Idaho - June 17     June 24     July 1     July 8

Butte County (as Diamond Peak) Idaho - June 17     June 24     July 1     July 8

Lake County (as McDonald Peak) and Missoula County (as Peak X), Montana - June 17     June 24     July 1     July 8

Big Horn and Johnson Counties (as Cloud Peak), Wyoming - June 17     June 24     July 1     July 8

Procedure

STEP 1. Go to the NOAA Snow Analyses Archives
available from the National Snow Analyses 3D Interface main page.

STEP 2. Select a specific date, such as July 2, 2011, and open the resulting file using installed Google Earth software.

STEP 3. In the left pane of Google Earth uncheck the box for "Snow Water Equivalent";
and check the box for "Snow Depth".

STEP 4. Go to the Google Earth Images Page at cohp.org and mouse-click on the desired USA map to overlay county highpoint locations onto the (already opened) snow archive imagery.

STEP 5. Pan and zoom the resulting globe to examine snowpack levels for the peak of interest.