Stem-snapping frequency and species differences were assessed in ∼30-year-old mid-elevation mixed-species plantations after a winter with above average, but not extreme, snowfall. Snapping (occurring between breast height and mid-crown) was not common (5/acre) but could be considered significant, depending on specific objectives and planning horizons. Black oak (Quercus kelloggii) snapped most often, especially compared with giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum), which did not snap at all. Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), white fir (Abies concolor), and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) did not snap in proportions greatly different than prestorm densities. Snapped conifers tended to have greater height/diameter ratios than nonsnapped trees, but diameter ratios in these maturing plantations were generally low, probably a product of previous thinning treatments. Stem snaps could diminish or enhance objectives for modern mixed species plantations, suggesting the need for further study.

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