Northern latitude snow pillow installation procedures

Snow pillow installations in the sub-arctic regions of Alaska and Yukon Territoties require special procedures. A 'normal' SNOTEL-type hypalon pillow installation would not likely provide accurate data, or even survive, due to one or all of such problems as frost heaving, lack of good soil for proper bedding, and bears. These problems are adequately solved by installing the pillow on top of a treated 2x6 and plywood platform, similar to a normal house subfloor; plumbing the pillow to a wet-tolerant or 'submersible' stream gage-type transducer that is attached to the frame under the pillow so that pillow and transducer heave as a unit; and treating the hypalon pillow with a floating sheet-metal top covering and rigid bent-metal edge covering bolted to the underlying frame.