Experienced winter travellers often know the snow’s story before they even look down — they can hear it.
Dry, cold snow squeaks sharply underfoot, often in deep winter. Wet, heavy snow gives a soft “shush,” signalling warmer temperatures or spring melt. Crusty snow crackles before breaking under your weight, a sign of overnight refreezing.
Learning to read these sounds is more than poetic — it’s practical. Snow texture affects travel speed, avalanche risk, and energy expenditure. Every crunch and creak is a piece of the mountain’s daily conversation.