Digging out

I spent a good part of yesterday digging out after Tahoe's version of the "Perfect Storm." Which is when moist air comes up from the south Pacific and the cold air comes down from Alaska...and they collide right over Tahoe and BANG! 14 feet at the top of Squaw-I'm not sure over how many days, but it seemed like 10. Which immediately brings up my argument that it wasn't perfect at all.

You see a perfect storm would come in, lay down about three feet of the fine white stuff and clear up for a day-then it can come back in and do it over and over until May if it wants. This was just a relentless, pounding-caught in the surf-let me up for air kind of storm in Tahoe. But I quibble. We need the water, right? I don't know ask the plow guys if it was too much of a good thing.

My street in Tahoe City was about 4 feet wide Sunday morning. (kindly see exhibit #1)I was digging out Sunday admittedly because I'd fallen behind. I had to knock the ice dams down, the giant cornices off my roof and push snow off the tops of the snow banks so that I could put more up there (Snowbank Management). Then I hear in the distance the tell-tale rumble of the berm cutter-can't be, thought they'd thrown in the towel. But alas it wasn't the giant "dog-eater" we're so used to seeing on highway 28 but some kind of midget variety they pulled out of Marysville-I'd heard. Anyway it did the job and in an hour they had our street back to where we couldn't tell if your neighbor had the same clothes on as yesterday as you went by them mirrors scrapping. Who's supposed to pull over and let the other guy pass? There's a whole new etiquette right there.


So I got things tidy and had a look around and there is a LOT of snow. I've never seen so much snow on some of the roofs and it brings up a serious point. Shovel. Snow load is real and if we get some warm water we're talking water weight up there. If you have a flat(er) roof it should be considered. But also shovel decks, stairs and get the snow away from the siding. I hear its dangerous to the have gas meter buried. Not to mention the gas exhaust vent or the drain/waste pipes that are usually coming out of the roof. I know my neighbor has six feet of snow on his roof and I'm not sure if he's really thinking about all the issues. I happen to have a pretty steep pitch but not everybody does.

If you need a snow shoveler around Tahoe Let me know. I would be happy to connect you with them.