Deepest snow, measured.

February 19.

Measure snow again, on account of what fell on 17th. West of railroad, 15+ + 2; east of railroad, 12 1/2- + 2 ; average of both, 14 + 2 = 16 ; Trillium Wood, 18 1/2 + 2=20 1/2. 

The great body of the last snow appears to have settled under the east side of the railroad. There are five and one half inches more in the wood than on the 12th. and I think this is about the average of what fell on the 17th (night and day). 

Accordingly, the snow has been deeper since the 17th than before this winter. I think if the drifts could be fairly measured it might be found to be seventeen or eighteen inches deep on a level. 

This snow, you may say, is all drifted, for in the fields east of the railroad there is not so much as there was a week ago, while west there is about four inches more.

H. D. Thoreau, Journal, February 19, 1856

the snow has been deeper since the 17th than before this winter ...seventeen or eighteen inches deep on a level.  See January 29, 1856 ("The snow is probably about fourteen on a level in open fields now, or quite as deep as at any time this winter.. . .”); February 12, 1856("From January 6th to January 13th, not less than a foot of snow on a level in open land, and from January 13th to February 7th, not less than sixteen inches on a level at any one time in open land, and still there is fourteen on a level. That is, for twenty-five days the snow was sixteen inches deep in open land!!”)