The researchers studied snow cover in the Russian Altai mountains over two winters. They looked at snow depth, density, and water content, comparing them to weather conditions and landscape features. The first winter was warm and had moderate snow, while the second was warm with less snow. Thicker snow was found in certain types of forests and meadows, with the most snow in secondary small-leaved forests. The study showed how snow depth and water content vary based on weather, landscape, and vegetation.