Sandia Mountains 10k Site - Snow Pit Liquid Water Content [LWC] (2020)

The 10k research plot is located about 250m north of the 10K Trailhead parking lot in the Cibola National Forest. This area is at the beginning of the Canadian/Hudsonian Zone of the Eastern Sandia Mountains, which is part of the Arizona/New Mexico Mountains Ecoregion. The plot is roughly 1,200m^2 and runs east-west with an open area (~400 m^2) on the eastern end and a forest stand (~800 m^2) located uphill on the western end. The hill has an eastern aspect with an 18 degree slope. The forest vegetation in this area predominantly consists of spruce, fir, and aspen trees. Liquid water content (LWC) data was collected and estimated using a snow calorimeter (Kasashima et al., 1998) during the spring snowmelt period (February 25, 2020 - April 28, 2020) once the snowpack became isothermal. Two snow pits (open and forested areas) were dug to collect LWC data.