Schneehund

Plowed, blown and shoveled out.

Officially, 8” on Friday, another 5” yesterday and 3" overnight.

I’m calling it snowshoe depth.

My dog is insane about snow……

 

How's The Weather?

If you live on the peninsula it doesn't take long to figure-out that when you are situated on a narrow landmass, surrounded by water, weather conditions can be both quirky and unpredictable.  

In the summertime the sun could be shining brightly enough to require a hat and your shades; while a mile to the east it is raining cats and dogs and you can see it unfolding before your very eyes.

During dry stretches and hoping with all your might for a good summer soaking you might be tracking a storm front and all of its accompanying rainfall approaching from the the prevailing southwest and as soon as it hits Green Bay, just like Moses parting the Red Sea, the front splits in two dropping all of that precious rainfall on the bay of Green Bay and Lake Michigan.  The peninsula landmass remains parched.

Winter is no different except for the results impacted by colder temperatures.  One minute it is sunny and clear; and moments later there is a popup snow squall approaching whiteout conditions that materialized out of nowhere and disappears just as suddenly leaving the sun shining on snow-covered ground.

From last month there was this.....

This happens all the time and woe be unto anyone driving in these conditions. 

Recently, the Missus and I were chatting it up about this local anomaly so this has been on my mind as I am reminded of it by looking out my window and having to delay walking my dog.   These types of weather patterns are called Lake Effect at our latitude and are a consequence of the proximity to large bodies of water. Just talk to the good citizens of Buffalo, NY.  I cannot recall a winter where I haven't read news reports of the entire community digging out from the effects of a very localized snow dump.

You can read all about the science of here in great detail; but the Cliff Notes version goes something like this.  Colder air masses have a tendency to travel from Canada southward and across the Great Lakes region.  The air above these large bodies of water tends to be warmer (relatively-speaking) and contain large amounts of moisture from the lakes.  Then the two air masses collide, clouds are formed, clouds contain precipitation and when the clouds reach the coastal landmass you get snow this time of year and rain during the spring, summer and fall.  

If you live in a coastal community in northern Wisconsin, Michigan's Upper Peninsula, northeast Wisconsin (Door County) or northwest Michigan (Traverse City) Lake Effect can be responsible for a snow dump. 

To be fair, if you are a winter sports enthusiast none of this is a guarantee of snowfall - we haven't had good snowshoeing snow pack for a couple of years or so.  Anecdotally (and totally unscientifically) I've witnessed a scarcity of snow for the gun deer season opener over the last couple of decades.  Nevertheless, the further north you go the more likely you'll have white stuff on the ground and if you live on the coastline you can be witness to periodic spikes in the stuff.

Sometimes it can cover the yard around the house deeply enough to cover the porch with drifts reaching the windows on the machine shed.  

Anything more than four inches summons the plow guy who is on retainer during the snowy months.  

I can clear the walkways, patio and tidy-up with a snowblower.

It's not all bad - especially if you enjoy winter like we do.  Summers on a coastal community are less severely hot than inland communities.  Our micro-climate here on the peninsula is ideally-suited to growing orchard crops; and in the last decade an increasing number of vineyards have materialized.  What's not to like about local fruits, cider and wine?

I suppose the trade-off is that you do have to take the out-of-place blizzard when you least expect it.  Take it from me, it can mess-up your spring turkey hunt in April with an unpredictable snow dump.  It's happened to me more times than I can count...

Winter is the Mother of Invention

This winter has brought an abundant amount of snow that has stuck around for an exceedingly long time.  Yeah, we caught a spring-like 42 degree day on Tuesday (perfect for stacking firewood and scooping dog poop) but there remains plenty of snow base to be enjoyed.

The upshot of this is that there has been plenty of miles put on the snowshoes and by virtue of back and forth, back and forth a semi-groomed and packed trail. 

My pal, New Guy, found this ingenious contraption on the web.

A home-built trail groomer.

If I get a head start on this early in the season, and before the snow gets so deep that I run the risk of stranding the tractor, I could have a decently groomed and packed trail suitable for both snowshoeing and cross country skiing.

Shoeing

25 degrees F and sunny.

About a foot of fresh powder on the level.

First time in a couple of years that there's been enough snow on the ground to breakout the snowshoes.

Glorious!

Fresh Powder!

It began with overnight snow and continued throughout the day.

As I tap-out this post it has started-up again.

The plow cleared the driveway and I just finished clearing the walks, patio, Forno, generator, propane tank and edges. 

 

Certainly not a record-setting snowfall.  The tape measure was alongside a snowblower cut on the front walkway. There’s a few spots it was over my boot tops and other spots a half foot.

 

I’m calling it 12 inches on the level.

 

There’s snowshoeing on tap!

Tracks

Found this photo on my phone from awhile ago.  Likely the last time this season that I got to strap-on my snowshoes for a hike.

Ring neck pheasant sign for sure.

Haven't seen nor heard them.  Dog haven't flushed any.  But there tracks are ubiquitous.  

Shoeing

Running the trail camera trap line are some photos opps from the recent deep snows. 

No surprise, the Labs were really mixing-it-up. 

In deep snow it is always mayhem - ass ends and ass holes........

 

Shoeing

Yesterday dawned sunny and 30 degrees - a perfect day to strap-on the snowshoes and go out for a walk.

Truthfully there is no other way to get around for any distance without snowshoes.  If I had to hazard a guess we have about sixteen inches of snow on the level.  With a bit more overnight the benches of the picnic table in the yard are now beneath the snow and I have only a general idea of where the Weber Smokey Joe grill might be.  Like an avalanche victim it has vanished into the snowy depths.

The dogs quickly remembered that the path of least resistance is to try to stay in the trail that the man with the snowshoes is tramping-down.  Of course, if you are a Labrador retriever there are hidden delights to be found by going off trail from time to time.  And they did at their own peril.  Busting trail was tough work and left them exhausted.

click on images for a closer look

 

The objective of the walk was to fetch the memory cards from one of my Moultrie trail cameras and the Bushnell DNR camera that we are hosting for Snapshot Wisconsin.

Upon our return I discovered that my Moultrie operated from January 20 thru January 22 and then stopped taking photos.  Battery life looked OK yesterday so I'll check it again before too long to see what's up.  The DNR camera appeared to have collected more than 250 photos from January 20th to the present.  I'll post some as soon as they've been curated on the Snapshot website.

Stay tuned....

Snowshoeing the Blizzard

From yesterday - the girls and I ventured out for a walk in the blizzard.  It was the first opportunity I've had to use my snowshoes this winter spring. 

The wind was nasty and the deep snow really took the edge off a couple of ordinarily high-energy Labs.

Me too.

Shoeing

Last weekend's snow storm finally brought enough of the white stuff to fetch the snowshoes and gaiters from the basement box of winter sporting supplies.

It's a gift that even the four-legged members of the family can appreciate.  The crunch you hear is the glaze of frozen rain atop the snow...

Frozen

The mini-blizzard that blew thru here in the last 24 hours left (depending upon the location) 1 to 8 inches of the white stuff on the ground.  Yesterday afternoon I strapped-on my snowshoes and the girls and I ventured out for a walk to see what was up.

The first observation is that aside for some bunny tracks in the snow around a rock pile there was no sign of the local wildlife moving about.  Nada.  Everyone was hunkered-down.  (It wasn't until twilight yesterday that we observed four whitetails cruising thru down at the big pond).

The second observation is that the trail cameras were frozen, snow-covered, glazed-over  and were in need of cleaning.  Welcome back to winter.

I'll post some photos in the next several days of critters captured on the two cams that were relocated.

First Snow

Arrived Saturday night and Sunday morning.

Inches of the fluffy white stuff.

I rather like winter and cannot wait for more of this stuff to accumulate.  That way the guy that plows the driveway will visit more frequently and maybe this year I can get out on the snowshoes.

In the meantime is sure is purty...

click on images to enlarge

 

Shoeing

Got the entire famdamily in these photos.

Me, The Frau and the pooches.

Getting plenty of fresh air and exercise snowshoeing this winter.  

Life is good.

Shoeing

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Nothing better than a sunny day snowshoeing with the girls.  And a bowl of steaming chili afterwards and unsalted peanuts for the Labs.

Shoeing

Is there such a word as shoeing?

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Second time out with the shoes this winter.

Hoofed it 1.27 miles in 21 degrees and a beautiful sunny day.  Was able to take the gloves off to work on the cams.

Life is good.

Busting Trail

Considering that last winter there wasn't enough snow to even use the snowshoes even once This year is starting-off on the right foot.  Pun intended.

Thursday I ventured out with the blonde Lab and tall rubber boots and immediately figured out that with 8 to 10 inches of white stuff on the level boot alone were not going to work.

Yesterday I fetch the snowshoes and we busted 1.5 miles of trail.

Swapped-out the SD cards on the trail cameras.

And worked-up a mighty sweat.

click images to enlarge

  

Mushing

There has got to be a way to harness (literally) all of that energy that is bottled-up inside a Labrador retriever.  Instead of hoofing it on snowshoes I could ride a sled pulled by my dogs.

Oh well.

Some footage from one of our hikes last weekend...

Checking the Cameras

Taken from last week.

We've made the turn and are about a quarter mile from the house on roughly a 1.25 mile route.

Me and the girls out for a walk and swapping-out the SD cards on the trail cameras. 

The Girls

More pics of the girls romping in the snow.  Labs and snow.  Labs and Winter.  Can't get enough of it.

 

 

click on images to enlarge

The first photo was taken on the outward bound leg of our hike.  The second was taken after we had made the turn and were headed back home.  I can't help but point out the obvious.

They're not moving quite as fast on the return leg of the hike...

Making the Rounds

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Still checking on the cameras almost weekly.  It's like running a trap line. 

Cold day when this photo was taken.  Also, had to mush the trails wearing snowshoes. 

Plenty of the white stuff on the ground...