Improvement in Mount Rose spring balance tickling corky snow

The accuracy of the Mount Rose spring balance can be improved by providing a spring to hold the rack in close contact with the rotating pinion controlling the indicator, and by making the rack thick and of durable metal. A small swivel connecting the top of each spring to the head frame, would facilitate making necessary adjustments. The snowpack of 1937-38 was typical in that accumulation began late and piled up rapidly. Metamorphism converted the upper layers to a coarse grainy snow, but the lower layers remained fluffy ('Corky Snow'). This condition made sampling difficult. The problem was solved by allowing the tube to penetrate by gravity with minimum rotation. The method was called 'Tickling the tube through' fluffy snow.