Winter is here

Park City Mountain Resort opened yesterday. The ground around our house was brown and the only ski runs open were beginner runs with serious snow making. Timing is everything though. Today we have 18 inches of new snow on the ground and it is supposed to keep snowing through Tuesday night.



While I am quite happy to have the snow for skiing, the snow removal is downright ugly. Blowing 18 inches of fluffy snow is quick and simple, but this wasn't that. First, our snow melt for the front part of the driveway is not working, waiting for a replacement part. Then the snow started coming down warm, wet and heavy, which is tough when you have to throw the snow over a 12 foot wall. I cleared the first batch yesterday because I knew that my poor snow blower could never huck feet of snow if the base was heavy.

I woke to another foot this morning, so I have cleared that, but had to do it in a wind storm. This is terribly unpleasant because as far as I can tell, no matter which way the wind is blowing and which way you are throwing snow, it all comes back in your face.

Now it's pounding snow again. In the 20 minutes since I took the picture, it has gone from cloudy to a snowy whiteout. Perhaps I can get out tomorrow for some skiing!