Still loving the snow!

[Idaho45guy]

Just spent a couple of hours shoveling the walks, driveway, deck, clearing a path for the garbageman, and carving out a pee route for my dad's dog that I'm about to go pick up and dog sit for a couple of days. He just went to the hospital for a bad infection so I get to have a house guest until he's better.

This region normally barely gets a foot of snow for any length of time. Normally, we'll get a good freeze, then a storm with a few inches, then it gets into the 40's and melts off. Rinse and repeat from November to March. Weeks and weeks of gray, miserable, wet, gloomy, brown weather is devastating.

I'd much rather have temps in the 20's and a couple of feet of snow for a couple of months.

And that is exactly what we've had the past three weeks. About 20" of snow at my place. Getting another foot or so the next couple of days.

I had to drive to the county seat yesterday to renew my CCW permit and took the rural highway which was closed due to drifting for two days. Just got it cleared and I was impressed by drifts that were over the roof of my lifted SUV...

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294117

But, despite the pain of shoveling, walking, and basically everything; I still love the snow!

[Winger Ed.]

Hmmm,,,, I like looking at it on those nature shows, and drawings of it on Christmas cards.
In real life------ ahhh,,, not so much.:bigsmyl2:

[Bobbers]

Since I currently live in Louisiana I miss snow. Grow up in northern Illinois I am used to snow. Will are looking forward to moving back up north soon.

[kodiak1]

The older you get the less appealing it gets!!

[CastingFool]

Our local forecast is calling for up to 16". I guess we're not going anywhere tomorrow

[Thundarstick]

I hope you get ALL of our allotment!

[DocSavage]

We've dodge the bullet the last few years in the snow dept,predicting 2-6" Friday. Frankly I think we're due for another Blizzard of 78.

[Idaho45guy]

Youre a sick, sick man. I have to drive a tanker on 195 back and forth to Lewiston from Spokane regularly. The communist peoples republic of washington does a terrible job maintaining roads in winter. Winter is pure heck. Hope your dad feels better quick.

I love driving in snow as well... Normal driving is too easy. But, when I ran a bulk truck for Ferrelgas back in the 90's, chaining up for every rural delivery was a pain.

[Markopolo]

The older you get the less appealing it gets!!

Hear Hear!!!!!

[GregLaROCHE]

Where I live now we get a lot of wet snow that melts, freezes into ice, before all melting and a few days later a repeat. I miss the cold, dry and much less slippery snow of interior Alaska. It didn’t snow that much where I was, but not a flake would melt until spring. I never had any problems with snow or ice when I lived in Alaska, but here I slipped and broke my leg!

[Idaho45guy]

Youre a sick, sick man. I have to drive a tanker on 195 back and forth to Lewiston from Spokane regularly. The communist peoples republic of washington does a terrible job maintaining roads in winter. Winter is pure heck. Hope your dad feels better quick.

I created a thread about the difference in road maintenance in Idaho and Washington...

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?436743-Red-state-vs-Blue-state-snow-removal&p=5329812#post5329812

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I'd love to talk about the snow.

I grew up in the Sierra Nevada foothills, about the 3,000 ft. level. It snowed every winter, with 3 ft. on the ground being usual. We had no electricity, and it was my chore to chop the firewood and keep the house supplied. For the most part, the large, old house was never really warm. No one knew what insulation was back then. I see this year that they are having record setting snows-- guess it was a drought for several winters. Same here, actually, although we had 3 ft. of snow upon occasion there's usually more! I'll attach some photos. I'm a believer in "Climate Change." But it's a natural cycle, and like the late departed Mr. Limbaugh used to say, our presence on this earth amounts to a pimple on the butt of an elephant. Compared to the emissions of volcanos, etc., we have no significance at all.

From there I went into Uncle Sam's Army and spent 3 years in the Infantry in Germany. Since it was the early '60s we were facing off against the Warsaw Pact. It was well known that the Rooskies like to fight in the snow, so we spent many days and weeks in the field in the middle of the German winters living in the snow, preparing us for the great onslaught of Eastern Barbarians that never came (thank the Good Lord!). One night, in a military campground (really, a maneuver for many years) named "Hohenfels" I and a buddy came close to freezing to death. We were dug in high on a hillside, and it snowed all night. The area had been peppered for years with 81mm and 60mm mortar rounds, and there were many duds to be avoided sticking out of the ground like asparagus, but as it continued to snow it became less of a problem as they were buried in the snow.

We had winter gear, but it was insufficient, and spent the night running up and down the hill trying to stay warm. It was interesting to see someone start up the hill, go slower and slower, then stop and go to sleep on their feet. Eventually they'd get cold enough to wake up and start moving uphill again. When I finally returned stateside I lived by the ocean for many years, and vowed never to again live in snow.

But, you know, where the good guys find enjoyment, so do the bad guys, and the crime and drugs became unbearable. I did a lot of searching and thinking about the situation, and concluded that I needed to move away from the humanity I found to be objectionable. Leave the climate and scenic paradise in which I was living and find something better. Upon reflection, I realized that living in the mountains and heating with firewood had been the better part of my life. But snow comes with the mountains, part of the deal. Finally, I realized that if you don't have to go out into the winter, the snow needn't effect you so much. Just as the squirrels store up food for the winter and have warm nests, if you have indoor hobbies like reading, enjoy DVD movies, and can do a little self-gunsmithing you can avoid freezing and insanity. Should I also mention periodic visits to the Castboolits Forum? It's enjoyable and entertaining to see what the many personalities that make up the Forum have to say on various subjects. Have made some very good friends here whom I'll probably never meet-- among them zarrinvz24 and Texas by God. I'll eventually run into you guys though....

So, I went back into it with my eyes wide open. Snow is cold, can be a nuisance, and even fatal. But the bad guys don't like the snow. When it snows it becomes so quiet. It took me awhile to figure out that most of the missing noise is chirping birds. But, some stick around, and I feed them. The snow seals out the world and provides peace, time for reflection, and if you're fortunate enough to have a Mrs. with you, there's time to say, "I love you." I'll be age 80 this year, and I've come to terms with the snow.

Many lessons learned along the way. Type of wood, type of stove, house is often 80 degrees and the Mrs. says, "Open the front door for awhile." She's disabled and likes to watch movies, so every visit to Bi-Mart I look for some new ones of which the censor (me) approves. Years and years of gun and history books. Satellite TV. Stored food enough for years. No water right now though, as the well went dry last August. Have to bring it in from town, 37 miles away, once every week or two.
Over 300 dry wells in our county right now, and the Government seems uninterested. Enough snow for enough years and the wells may come back as the water table rises again.

So, every speech should have a summary. As life went along I reached a realization that things you perceive as being annoying, like snow, can actually have equal benefits. I'm not of the Catholic Faith, but am in admiration of the name of a Catholic Church in Crescent, OR, named "Our Lady of the Snows".

I thank God for the snow.

Stay warm, my friends.

DG

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Woodpile in front of the house.

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Woodpile behind the house.

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Got to feed the critters.

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How I get to the critter feeding area. You can see my ViaSat dish back along the trail, without which I couldn't post these photos.

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If I need to get out for some reason, Kioti makes it possible!

Photos 12/27/21

[45workhorse]

Nice setup

[Keyman]

Where I live now we get a lot of wet snow that melts, freezes into ice, before all melting and a few days later a repeat. I miss the cold, dry and much less slippery snow of interior Alaska. It didn’t snow that much where I was, but not a flake would melt until spring. I never had any problems with snow or ice when I lived in Alaska, but here I slipped and broke my leg!

Well.... Interior Bush Alaska has been having some of the worst winter weather. This winter 2021-2022 started with very cold weather, good for river freeze up, and then 40 degrees F. It has done the warm up 2 times so far. The jump is 30 below to 40 above F in 30 hours. I have seen this cycle happen in 10 hours, but not this winter, yet. Was down to -35F last night, and maybe only -30 tonight. We only shovel the steps, and pack snow to outhouse and wood shed.

[John Crusher]

I grew up in Nebraska and we had Blizzards and snowdrifts to the roof. Colorado (The Western Slope), New Mexico and Upstate New York all had snow at Xmas .
It's not Xmas without snow.
It hasn't felt like Xmas in the last 25 years living in Missouri.
I'm going to retire in a couple of years and move to Xmas either in Wyoming or Northwestern Montana , which is where I was born.

[Battis]

The key to mentally surviving a long snowy winter is to find something to do outside.
I'd go nuts without snow, deep snow. I have my vintage Alaskan wooden snowshoes (60"x 12" or something like that). Long, sleek, light and fast. Impresses the heck out of snowshoers with the metal Tubbs (I did break down and buy a pair for the not so deep snow). I also have a pair of off-trail cross country skis - shorter, wider and more stable than regular cross country skis.
I don't even mind using my snowblower.
I used to downhill ski quite a bit, but now it's crazy expensive, the Northeast skiers are getting rude and dangerous, and I don't think I'd survive a fall.

[samari46]

Ex New Yorker, moved to Louisiana and don't miss the snow one bit. Shoveled enough to last a life time. Frank

[rbuck351]

Eureka Mt here,where we get the full 4 seasons of weather. It has snowed lightly several times since November and we now have about 10 or 12" on the flat. Very happy with the weather here. Feb is usually our heavy snow month and then it goes away.

[GregLaROCHE]

Well.... Interior Bush Alaska has been having some of the worst winter weather. This winter 2021-2022 started with very cold weather, good for river freeze up, and then 40 degrees F. It has done the warm up 2 times so far. The jump is 30 below to 40 above F in 30 hours. I have seen this cycle happen in 10 hours, but not this winter, yet. Was down to -35F last night, and maybe only -30 tonight. We only shovel the steps, and pack snow to outhouse and wood shed.

One of the places I used to live just made the news. I can tell you that I’ve seen it a lot colder than that around there.
https://m.facebook.com/NWSFairbanks/posts/1159885664840465

[owejia]

I hope you get ALL of our allotment!

A big a men to that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cosmic_Charlie]

After living in the snow for over 60 years we got a snow blower last year. Thing starts right up even in the bitter cold with just a couple pulls. We are getting our share this year. Probably a good 18" on the ground now. Makes the cross country skiers and snowmobilers happy. I do not mind the snow so much but detest the subzero temps and wind. Only a couple months until the spring Equinox though.

[jdfoxinc]

Snow is a 4 letter word like work.

[Ithaca Gunner]

Count me in with the ''older I get the less appealing it is'' crowd. Some winters we get hammered, but most we get maybe 24-36'' in a season. Both North and South of us get more snow, and they're welcome to it. I've got a 24'' Cub Cadet snow blower that takes care of 90% of the mess so shoveling isn't a big problem, and a neighbor with a big 4 wheeler buggy with a plow who enjoys being out plowing and sometimes beats me to the chore. We keep him and family in sticky buns for the effort.

Driving in it, both our trucks have 4wd, so it's not much of a problem unless we really get dumped on. The idiots with front wheel drive without snow tires are a problem every year though, thinking they can go out in it with no worries. And the ones who think, ''There's just a little bit of snow on the road, I don't need to put it in 4x4...'' Those are the ones I see stuck off the side of the roads a lot.

[kbstenberg]

Snow for me means FUN. Sitting on my ATV watching my 4' snow blower through that stream of snow 10 yards away. And seeing the wind take some of it and put it downwind.
Snow also means cold which means ICE FISHING. Did i ever tell you about the 10 lb. ice i caught.

[brass410]

Snow is not so appealing as it once was, I like to see first snow, best if its a real dump 12" or more It makes everything seem clean and fresh and silent as it hangs on the trees. But then comes the wind, and the cold -25 to -40 windchills in the -50 sometimes for days thats what make the southern climates seem fairer to this older body now.

[Gator 45/70]

1/4'' of snow will shut-down this parish.

[dannyd]

The best snow I have even seen was on TV when we had rabbit ears. :)

[MrWolf]

DG - I totally agree with your outlook. Love my mountain place, just wish it was warmer as these old joints and bones and injuries don't like the cold. Love my solitude and luckily met a woman who loves it here also. Life is good. Well, last three weeks have been tough with no furnace but we will survive until a new one gets here due to supply issues.
Ron

[Der Gebirgsjager]

No furnace.....! No wonder you're cold. Let me say, Sir, that you need to get some wood heat going.

Even after your furnace is installed you should look into a woodstove or pellet stove. To me, although currently a viable option, pellet stoves are less desirable as you have to buy pellets. A beat up old VN War vet who lives down the road about 1/3 mile from me gave up on firewood two years ago and bought a pellet stove. Buys the pellets several tons at a time in 40 lb. plastic bags. I got a call from him a few days ago and he asked me to stop by as he was down to several hours of supply in the stove hopper, had strained/sprained a groin muscle and needed me to carry several bags into the house from his shed.

But, as they say, nothing in life is really free. Firewood also involves having access to some forest land, chainsaw and related paraphernalia, but I don't believe that there is any other comparable form of heat. I just feels so good. And, someday, alternatives like electricity, oil, propane may be scarce, expensive, or not there at all. Good to have a backup-- which actually applies to so many things like food, clothing, automobiles.

The best thing is that you have a Lady who likes being there. Good ladies are harder to find than good friends, although they can be one and the same.


DG

[fixit]

I saw today that the news outlets are giving obligatory warnings to the "older folks" among us to not shovel snow for fear of a heart attack. I always find these things amusing, because I do things through the rest of the year that your average 60 year old shouldn't do, so why would I stop when it's cold? Know your limit, and stay within it!

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Yup...like Clint said, "A man's got to know his limitations." As we get older time does take it's toll, but just keep plugging away at your own pace. If it doesn't feel right, don't do it. :D

DG

[country gent]

while I like seeing the snow it makes everything look so clean and bright, Since Ive been in the chair Ive learned that a couple inches of snow to go thru really drains the lithium ion batteries on the chair a lot faster. Using the chair an a shovel to push snow even more so. Make me wonder what it will do to these new electric vehicles having to push thru wet heavy snow.

[georgerkahn]

The older you get the less appealing it gets!!

Amen! I used to love X-country skiing and snow-shoeing; playing in it when children were young... But, now in my 70s I am thankful ever so much for a Kubota tractor with a rear blade to drag the snow, along with an articulated plow blade in front to push the piles! What has troubled me is "in the old days" from U S Thanksgiving time through to 1st week of May, there'd be a quite substantial accumulation of snow. In areas where it was too deep (many!) to drive through, the locals call it "Desolation Dust" -- no moving (unless you, perhaps, had a snow machine) until Spring. *NOW* we get several inches of snow; it warms and melts -- lots of ICE -- and then the temp drops for a repeat; and, another repeat...

[WRideout]

When I was a youngster growing up in Southern CA, we could occasionally see snow on the uppermost parts of the Coast Foothills. We had to drive to it to play in the snow. While we were busy making snowmen and throwing snowballs, we would mingle with the other visitors who mostly came from states like Nebraska, Michigan, or New York. I wanted to ask, but never did, "Why did you leave home just to come here and play in the snow?" Never figured that one out.

Now I am fully adapted to living in the frozen north (SW Pennsylvania.) My wife is always too cold, I am always too warm. I tell her I have the metabolism of a bear.

Wayne

[CastingFool]

I like to tell people I would rather snowblower our driveway than mow my lawn. Upon hearing that, a look of unbelief covers their face. When asked why, I always reply that it takes me a little over an hour to clear out our 100ft long driveway. It takes me 3-1/2 hours to mow our 1-1/2 acre yard, and have to put up with the heat, bugs and sometimes get scratched by the shrubbery. None if that happens while snowblowing, and it takes considerably less time.

[dannyd]

DG - I totally agree with your outlook. Love my mountain place, just wish it was warmer as these old joints and bones and injuries don't like the cold. Love my solitude and luckily met a woman who loves it here also. Life is good. Well, last three weeks have been tough with no furnace but we will survive until a new one gets here due to supply issues.
Ron

I escaped from that part of world 46 years ago; Nothing like having to maintain a coal furnace to motivate a person. ;)

[Idaho45guy]

While we were busy making snowmen and throwing snowballs, we would mingle with the other visitors who mostly came from states like Nebraska, Michigan, or New York. I wanted to ask, but never did, "Why did you leave home just to come here and play in the snow?" Never figured that one out.

If you've never been to Nebraska, I can understand why you wouldn't know why they would leave the snow of Nebraska to play in the snow of California. California is a beautiful state with the most diverse ecosystems of any state except perhaps Washington.

Nebraska is, well... Diverse is not a word often associated with Nebraska. Great folks, great beef, but a little lacking in natural beauty.

[Lloyd Smale]

I like to tell people I would rather snowblower our driveway than mow my lawn. Upon hearing that, a look of unbelief covers their face. When asked why, I always reply that it takes me a little over an hour to clear out our 100ft long driveway. It takes me 3-1/2 hours to mow our 1-1/2 acre yard, and have to put up with the heat, bugs and sometimes get scratched by the shrubbery. None if that happens while snowblowing, and it takes considerably less time.

you should try the UP for a winter. I blow snow 2 or 3 times a week on average and only mow my grass maybe once a week in the summer. Sit bundled up in the cab of my tractor blowing snow and sit on my rider in the summer with a beer in the cup holder. when i was young i actually like winter more then summer because winter meant snowmobile racing but at 65 ill take 70 degree summer all year round.

[kodiak1]

3 1/2 hours with the skid steer (1845 Case) and a 7' Blower to clear the yard and road way.
Crazy man -4F and nice little breeze to boot.

[Hogtamer]

Thoreaue-esque Mountain Hunter! Except no one can be at such peace with themselves without being at peace with the Father.

[Lloyd Smale]

3 1/2 hours with the skid steer (1845 Case) and a 7' Blower to clear the yard and road way.
Crazy man -4F and nice little breeze to boot.

yup canadians understand what real snow is.

[Shawlerbrook]

Here at 1700’ in Central NYS we get anywhere between 100-200” of snow each year. My driveway is about 200 yards long and 30 yards wide. Plowed with an old 1969 CJ5 for 20 years until the clutch went . Sold it to a neighbor last year a bought a NH Boomer 40 with a snow pusher front and 6’ snowblower rear. The first storm last winter dropped 3’ and the Boomer worked like a charm. This year very little snow, but more sleet and freezing rain. All I can say is winter weather is much more palatable when you have the right equipment and are retired and can shelter in place until it’s over.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Thoreaue-esque Mountain Hunter! Except no one can be at such peace with themselves without being at peace with the Father.

I am! Perhaps he is not completely happy with me, but I am with him, and I keep trying.

DG

[Idaho45guy]

Little less happy with it today as my brother and I had to go down to the family cabin and shovel over 2' of snow off the roof...

294325

294326

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[Lloyd Smale]

roof shoveling sucks!! I bought a small 48 volt battery snow blower and i leave it right on the roof all winter. But looks like you have a steel roof thats better and worse. Better because they usually clear themselves but worse if you have to actually stand on one to shovel. Nieghbor has one of those snow slide deals that works well on his roof but his is steel and has more of a pitch then mine. I can only get one half way up the roof from the ground with the pitch i have. I have found the best way to do it though. My son in law and grandson come over and do it for me anymore. Even this old lineman has no desire to climb up on a roof. 6 more inches last night 2 degrees with -15 wind chill and its still coming down. Never ends this time of year

[Ithaca Gunner]

Last time I shoveled a roof was the late 90's. We got dumped on one season, looked like North Dakota. The roads were like tunnels. They were dumping snow into the river to get rid of it. I went up on the porch roof and shoveled, by the time I was done, I walked off the roof and slid down the pile of snow to the ground.

[dannyd]

The coldest I have ever worked in West Florida as a Lab Rat 55 below

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[Der Gebirgsjager]

294332

What you need is an Avalanche Tool. Plastic paddle with little rollers on the bottom of the paddle, and a long segmented aluminum handle. This works quite well when the snow is still puffy, not so well once it freezes and gets crusty. But it still helps some. Depending on the width and pitch of your roof you don't necessarily have to clear all the way to the ridge, as the empty space you've cleared will encourage snow above it to slide downward into the cleared area. Usually not right away, but after a couple of hours.

DG

[Markopolo]

ok.. I am totally sick of the snow!!!!


https://youtu.be/wNQ-P97Y4ZI

[Lloyd Smale]

ok.. I am totally sick of the snow!!!!


https://youtu.be/wNQ-P97Y4ZI

thats about what the roads look like here 3 months out of the year.

[Thundarstick]

Ya know, those pictures don't make mosquitos and ticks look so bad after all!

[Markopolo]

Hey Lloyd!!!! I thought that was just an Alaskan Thing..

this year it just came very early... its gunna be a long winter...

https://mustreadalaska.com/snowpocalypse-juneau-buried-under-snow-ice-rain/

Juneau is fighting pretty hard... but there is lots of equipment in that town.. us out in the sticks are on our own.

[Lloyd Smale]

Hey Lloyd!!!! I thought that was just an Alaskan Thing..

this year it just came very early... its gunna be a long winter...

https://mustreadalaska.com/snowpocalypse-juneau-buried-under-snow-ice-rain/

Juneau is fighting pretty hard... but there is lots of equipment in that town.. us out in the sticks are on our own.

actually theres parts of alaska that dont get near the snow or even cold we get here. But then theres some places there that make this look like florida. We are in a unique area right on the shore of lake superior. Until it freezes over (when it does) in February we are usually about 5 degrees warmer then the inland areas but we get lake effect snow about daily. 4 above here and 20 miles from here its below zero. We usualy average between 200-300 inches of snow a year but theres a couple countys on the lake that get twice that. theyve broke 600 many years. All i know is this time of year theres more days it snows then not. Been 5 days in a row now and it can stop any time. Wife had to come home early from work yesterday because the 5 mile stretch between here and town was being closed down do to zero visibility and there was 3 wrecks already that morning. That section of road usually gets closed a half a dozen times a winter and for as long as 3 days. Kind of comican when it opens to see the long lines of semis that were forced to sit in parking lots. Its exactly why i dont buy cars for her anymore. Shes much safer in a full sized 4x4 pickup.

[1903.colt]

Last Friday's low 24+ inches .294389

[megasupermagnum]

It's not so bad here. I wish the snow was a little deeper, but there's plenty to have fun in. Ice is thick, fish are biting good. It doesn't get horribly cold here, I think we hit -22 one night, but otherwise the wind is the main concern.

[Lloyd Smale]

the liberal idiots pushing global warming bs should look at this discussion!

[Idaho45guy]

the liberal idiots pushing global warming bs should look at this discussion!

They haven't used that term in years. First, it was the coming Ice Age in the 70's to scare the sheep, then when that didn't happen, they came up with Global Warming in the late 80's. When that failed to make Florida disappear as predicted, then they changed it to Climate Change.

Sane, rational, and reasonably intelligent people call it "weather".

[William Yanda]

Snow doesn't mean fun for me anymore. So far, this winter on the western edge of the Finger Lakes in NY, we have had an open winter. Today, Jan. 12, my lawn is green with no snow in the forecast for the next couple of days. My sister in TN has had more show this year than we have. With temps approaching 40 degrees, I may be able to relocate the stakes along the driveway to satisfy SWMBO.
Tough for the snowmobilers and skiers and those who are employed servicing them, better luck in their next job choice.

[dannyd]

They haven't used that term in years. First, it was the coming Ice Age in the 70's to scare the sheep, then when that didn't happen, they came up with Global Warming in the late 80's. When that failed to make Florida disappear as predicted, then they changed it to Climate Change.

Sane, rational, and reasonably intelligent people call it "weather".

Still have my Snow Shovel in the garage from 1976; we were ready:)