Snow surveyors throughout the world get to see what most of us only dream about: stunning terrain, birdlife and animals rarely seen in lower elevations, and stars that seem close enough to grab. Patrick Armstrong reveals the little-known world of a snow surveyor in this fascinating account, transporting readers into the remote winter world of the Sierra Nevada in California. High in the mountains, Armstrong and his companions must cross twelve-thousand-foot passes and dig through snow to gain entrance to rock or log cabins for shelter at night. Traveling on skis, they often traverse more than a hundred miles each month during the winter and in the process climb and descend twenty or thirty thousand feet. This account also provides important and practical information on topics such as safe winter travel on skis, avalanche prediction and avoidance, cabin life, cooking on and maintaining wood-burning stoves, wildlife, and birdlife. Whether you're involved in snow surveying and snowmelt water management or you're just someone who enjoys the winter, wilderness, and the mountains, prepare yourself to enter a beautiful and remarkable winter world that has its dangers and sublime beauties.