What a change from last January. Over the week of January 10th, about 4 -5 feet of snow feel at the lodge. When I arrived there on January 12, I had to shovel myself into the snow entry area. I never did get all of the snow out of the front walkway, so I just climber over it (and sunk into it).
The weekend of January 14th brought us friends Lowell, Christine and Chris. On January 13th, Christine and Chris went skiing at Sugar Bowl. There were so many people looking for powder, that it took them 2 hours to get into Jerome side of the hill and 2 hours to get back to the freeway at the end of the day. They said the skiing was amazing. Some of the best snow they had seen in forever.
I stayed back at the lodge with Quincy dog and took a walk around (climb around) the property to access what havoc we received since new years. We lost at least two big cedars and a large cedar branch and our one and only apple tree pencil- cracked in half. Other than that, there was about 2 feet of snow standing on the snow-shed roof and the screened in porch roof (and it is probably still there).
Jim and Lowell came in Friday night. All four of our intrepid skiers went to Alpine skiing on Saturday. I would have gone - but I was thinking of skiing at Sugar Bowl on Sunday, when I hoped the crowds would improve. And I thought they were skiing Squaw, which is not my favorite ski area.
Snow was still good on Saturday for them. While they were up skiing, there were about 50 off road jeeps in front of the lodge preparing to head down Texas Hill road for the annual Grass Valley Jeep Off Roader's Jamboree. Most of the Jeep group are pretty nice and respectful of our area (though I did have to shoo a bunch of their kids off our front area).
The Jeep group was there all weekend as were the snow players. We got to meet another Highway Patrolman who was ticketing and moving the snow players out of the area. We basically have no parking and no public land for them to play at on our exit, and still they come in hoards every weekend.
I try to keep them off our properties in the culdesac and keep the turn around clear so that emergency vehicles can turn around That is always a battle. Some of the snow players are just disrespectful of not only the land but of our requests to not block the road.
On Saturday, two kids in a Prius decided they could drive down Texas Hill Road (which is closed and full of snow) without 4wheel drive or chains. Of course they got stuck and I had to loan them shovels to dig out. After about 2 hours of digging, I found a rope that was thick enough to pull them off with Jim's truck. Saturday night Chris left for home.
We took a hike on Sunday down to Fulda Creek Bridge. We all managed to fall at least once. It was pretty snowy and ice. But worth the 1.5 mile trek down to see the water rushing. Then Christine, Lowell, Jim and I headed over to the game room for some Ping Pong and Foosball and Air hockey. Christine and Lowell left later that day.
Our neighbors across the street came over for wine and beer on Sunday night and we all talked about the gap while we sat around the fireplace.
Monday was shut down time and time to head home. Since we left , they have gotten at least another 2 feet of snow with more coming tomorrow. We hope to head up next week and see how much snow is there then.
Pictures from this weekend will be posted later.
