40 in Anchorage today. No snow on the ground, at all, zip, nada. Grass fully visible in my front and back yards, snow blower put away. In contrast, the last two years there were record setting snows, regularly collapsing warehouses, growing massive 2 foot ice dams on roofs, and 4 feet of compacted snow on the lawn, but this year-- nothing. Its going to be a big fire year this summer, I suspect.
We had a couple light snowfalls early in the year where I used my battery blower to clear it off. 2" of light powder, and 2 batteries cleared it all off both cars and the driveway in about 15-20 minutes. Worked great. I've still got 2' across my front yard. Probably lost a bit yesterday as it was about +1 or so, and there's rain in the forecast today, so that might take some more. Kids were excited as the ski hill had runs open that haven't been open in years. We just haven't had enough snowfall in the last decade or so for them to open them. I picked a hell of a year to NOT get a trail pass for the sled, or to NOT get ski passes.....I'd like to get out skiing a few more times, but TBH I'm over winter at this point, it could all melt tomorrow and I'd be happy. We've been busy making snow tunnels all over the front yard this year though.
@Dan Dubeau I remember having enough snow to make some of those as a kid, they were fun. That was a year we actually shoveled snow off the roof and could jump off the roof onto the snow below without getting hurt.
I can remember jumping off the roof into snow piles too. Fun times. A couple years ago I figured out this method to make tunnels quickly, and only this year did we have enough snow to do it again. Dig down to the ground, then lay a plastic garbage can on it side, then pile snow on top. Once you get enough on top you can just drag the can forward about 15-20" and repeat the process for as long as you want. Really goes quick if you have good snow, the hardest part is digging down to get it started. We did about 30' in a few hours with pretty crappy powdery snow, spraying it down as we went. Now that the snow has softened a bit into better packing snow the kids are excited to make even more now. I cheated an used the snowblower to create a bunch of paths this time, so we have about 100' of tunnel possibilities all over the yard to get to this weekend if we get to it. It just started raining, so we'll see how much is left by the weekend. If it all melts by then I won't be too sad either lol.
Why am I not surprised....I'm looking at that and thinking "what, did he build a tunneling machine to bore those?"
I can't help but notice a pair of Artic Cats. Is there a third sled off to the right, just out of frame? Looks like a pleasant evening to me.
Nope, hitch is hooked to the sleigh, the flip over shanty is connected to. It was just the wife and myself in this spot. Everyone else fishing was at least a half mile from us, on that night. Ski
Wife is RNFA/NP/PHD, works cardiac, thoracic surgery. We use the clamps/hemo's for deep hook removal from the toothy waterborne critters. Way easier on your hands, and better for the fishes. LOL! We hang them in strategic places in/on the shack/boat for easy access. Ski