planting trees in snow

I realize this may be just a hangup I'm having, but does anyone here have experience planting fruit trees in the mountains? I just got some bare root nectarines that are currently residing in my chilly basement. I want to either plant them now (but snow, frozen ground, wintery business, etc.) or possibly pot them up because I'm not sure heeling them in is the best option. I could really use some anecdotal advice. Halp, please?!

I've planted trees as the ground was just starting to thaw and some snow was around.  I think they'd've grown just fine if I had protected them from the deer

Silly question, but are you sure the ground is frozen under the snow?  I just went out to my field the other day, scraped aside 8" of snow and the ground wasn't frozen despite lows in the negative teens a week or two earlier.

I've planted bare root trees in the dead of winter, just go through the normal steps as if it were spring.
Be sure to use enough water when planting so the soil will be in full contact with the roots.

Redhawk


Note: snow is a great insulator, many times the ground beneath the snow blanket will not be frozen, if it should be frozen then you will need to break it up so the watering will settle the soil around the roots.

Thanks for giving me some courage guys! Trees are in the ground now. I'm sore all over and my mom thinks I'm a tree murderer, but it was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be.

Looks good!  I think as long as you can work the soil and things are past the super cold time of the year you should be fine planting, just make sure to get most of the air out of the soil like Bryant said after you're done and you will likely be just fine....