While the Cape is known for its summer beaches, winter on Cape Cod brings a completely different set of challenges for land surveyors. After a large snowfall—like the 14-inch, wind-driven storms that can paralyze the coast—our crews often trade in their sunshine and sunscreen for snowshoes, shovels, and snow suits. When the Cape shuts down to dig out, we are often tasked with continuing, as winter is prime time for planning future development. Here’s a look at the unique obstacles of post-snowfall survey work.
The “Hidden” Landscape
The biggest hurdle is that a significant snowfall effectively erases the surface of the earth. Property corners, iron pipes, concrete bounds, and survey flagging are buried under a foot or more of snow, often packed tight by high winds or turned into icy, frozen rubble. Locating these, even with high-end metal detectors, becomes a time-consuming, labor-intensive scavenger hunt. Furthermore, in coastal areas, recent snowfall often comes with freezing rain or sleet, creating a, thick, concrete-like layer of ice that makes penetrating the ground to find a monument nearly impossible.
Coastal Hazards and Topography
Cape Cod’s unique geography complicates things further. A snowstorm is rarely just a snowstorm; it is often accompanied by high winds, coastal surge, or, in the days following, rapid freezing-thawing cycles. This leads to dramatic, shifting landscapes where the “edge of water” or the toe of a bluff has changed. Furthermore, high tides can mix with snow to cause flooding, making surveying in low-lying areas—like Chatham or Provincetown—downright treacherous. Our surveyors have to be mindful of shifting sands and icy, slippery conditions that make moving with heavy equipment dangerous.
Equipment and Efficiency
Modern surveying equipment is tough, but it has limits. Extremely cold temperatures can affect the performance of total stations and GPS, while snow can accumulate on lenses, causing inaccurate readings. Furthermore, when the ground is frozen, setting control points or driving survey stakes requires specialized equipment, such as a sturdy, hardened steel pin (or a “cotton gin spindle”) to break through the icy ground.
The Bottom Line
Despite these challenges, land surveying on Cape Cod continues throughout the winter. While it is certainly not ideal for topographic surveys, it is a great time to work in heavily wooded areas due to better visibility. However, to combat the elements, our crews must rely on experience, extra planning, and a lot of patience to deliver accurate results for our clients.
Are you planning a project for the spring? Contact us to discuss your winter surveying needs.