[hitmanhayes]

I put them in a week before the snow arrived.
They then sat under a foot of snow for about three/four weeks
What are their chances?

[Ice]

Rhubarb is as tough as old boots.  Plus an insulating layer of snow makes me think it will be just fine.

[Trillium]

Rhubarb, like garlic, originated from Siberia, so yes, I'd say its chances are excellent for surviving.

[DD.]

As above.

There's a misconception that snow is bad, but as Ice says it actually acts as an insulating blanket and will have kept away the worst of the subsequent frosts.

[mick thomas]

I put 2 crowns in a couple of years ago, and neither suceeded. Last year I found an old crown that someone had dropped on the allotment path taking it to his muck heap. It was withered and black with obvious frost damage. Anyhow I stuck it in my patch on a nothing to lose basis and now have one massive rhubarb plant with several new crowns poking through the ground. so go ahead try it. Thats the name of the game.

[Trillium]

It's possible that your 2 crowns sat in a small depression which held a lot of water and rotted, which they can do if drowned. I found more success by planting crowns in a bit of a raised mound to keep the crown drier.