Then, I will make a few comments about judging in the snow. It's important to realize that snow doesn't always make tracking easier. For example, in TDX, crosstracks are much more enticing in the snow. We had a dog fail a snowy TDX because of his obsession with the crosstracks. He had been previously well- trained and proofed on crosstracks without snow.
Tracking can be very difficult when snow has filled in the track or when the snow is melting.
Especially in TDX, where there are at least three hours between laying and running the track, filling in can be tough. The tracks were completely filled in, and only a small terrier, who physically couldn't get his nose away from the scent, passed. When we started the track, the dog did not indicate any scent whatsoever. I walked the track with him to find the buried article, but he did not indicate it. When snow is melting, like the evaporation of morning dew, we have consistently noticed dogs having a tough time picking up the scent.