April 2013 Lodge Trips

Odd weather at the lodge this year.  The weather for April is more like the weather we see in June.  No snow on the ground around the lodge and warmer weather in the daytime (though nights are still cold enough to require a fire in the Lopi).

Since our debris burning opportunity will probably be short this season (with all the warm weather), I have been trying to do at least one pit burn per visit.  On the weekend of April 13th, Mary and I built something more like a campfire in the upper stone-edged fire pit while Jim and Lynn framed out the new Swedish Sauna building.

The Sauna is on a raised platform (about four feet off the ground) and is located directly behind the foundation of the old restaurant and bar area (what we call the future garage).  It will have about 6 steps to climb to enter it in the non-snow months. During the winter, it may be just about at snow level.  The interior dimensions of the building are about 6 1/2 by 9 1/2 feet and will accommodate 3 - 5 people.  It will have a single paned french door to enter and though the roof is pitched, it will have a drop ceiling to trap the steam.  No windows, of course, but it will have a louvered vent of some sort.  Jim has planned an L shaped bench and an upper bench for seating.

The sauna machine is made by sauna-tech and is the kind that you pour water on to get the steam going (very swedish).  It was one of my great finds from a thrift store.  I had a coupon and it was already very low priced due to the fact that it could not be tested (220 hard wiring).  I purchased it and Jim wired it and tested it at home in Orinda - and it worked!

Though the sauna machine was quite a deal, the building is not quite as inexpensive.  That is okay though, since it is our first venture at snow building. My hope is that we will learn enough off this experience to allow us to pitch a roof over the deck.  That way we will have a 3 season room that can be used in winter to watch the kids sled down the hillside.

Next weekend we will be enclosing the sauna structure.  Then cedar paneling to follow.  Lots more work planned for that little building and I will be posting pictures as we go.