Local optical properties of snow play a central role in snow optics studies. Indeed, snow appearance, e-folding depth, light transmission through snowpack and also reflective properties of snow surfaces are determined by local optical characteristics of snow such as absorption and extinction coefficients and also phase function. This chapter is aimed at the derivation of essential local optical characteristics of snow using the solid basis of the geometrical optics valid for large snow grains. Both nonspherical and spherical ice particles are considered. The polarization characteristics of ice particles are discussed as well.