Locations are typically reached by ski or helicopters. Operators prepare the drilling site and the thermal containers for storing samples. The extraction process takes about two or three hours; samples are then packed properly to prevent melting during transport to the cold room in Milan.
Snow samples are collected by digging a trench and stored in vials. At the same time, another operator digs a snowpit to take a survey of the properties of the snow and use the YETI software to create a stratigraphic profile according to the AINEVA (Italian Association of Snow and Avalanches) and IACS (International Classification for Seasonal Snow on the Ground) guidelines.
