Million Dollar Storm

Things started out from the South-South East. A very nice snow with moderate temperatures. We had a good 4” to work on the night of December 5th.

But along with the storm came the Gremlins.

C and I met to roll what we had at 7pm Sunday night. No power steering, no storm lights. Gremlins, and no time to try to figure out their mischief.

The real storm had not yet arrived, so the loss of the storm lights was not a significant factor; but wow, did we realize how nice it is to make some of our turns with power steering!

Somehow we rolled 95% of Montreal by 10:00. Then we found out, like the old guys used to say, “what this storm had in it”. The wind rotated around from the NNW and came at us 35-40 miles an hour.

By day-break Monday, the lake effect couldn’t get more horizontal. Powerful off-lake winds carried another 7 inches along with it and things were wooly until around noon.

I’m sure there are folks who were bothered by this weather. I’m sure there were some cars in the ditch, people with important appointments to try to make. The kids were happy; no school, but this storm was just what this area needed. Our winter recreation offerings are now pretty well set up to open.

It’s good. We live at the edge, on the frontier and we’re trying to build a normal economy on production and service; but come winter, the snow sports make business hum.

After an afternoon of snow-blowing (hydro-static drive is the best snow-blower to have) and working on our own local business set-up, we began the process of trying to figure out just what the gremlins did to us. Of course, we picked the coldest air we’ve had so far to follow wires and locate modules; and it was dark; but by the time our fingers were becoming useless and our feet were numb, we, well, Karl found that the knuckleheads had un-hooked two ground wires; the power-steering and the storm lights. Two simple black wires and we’re back in roses.

Of course we had to go out and pack the new 7”. What a treat to have spectacular lighting and steer with our fingers instead of forearms.

Tonight, we groomed the whole shebang. We got through about 80% of the system with our 6’ wide drag and tracksled until we were pulling just a bit too much snow with that wide of a rig. We switched over to the 4’ wide drag and tracksled setup to finish things off with ease.

We’re glad to report that Montreal is 100% packed and tracked, the below zero temperatures overnight are freezing out any and all soft spots and it’s READY. TO. SKI!

We hope you’re ready too.

The million dollar storm gave us some excellent early winter snow.

Get out. Get on it. Ski Freely.