[at-l] Spring on the way....snow

[Art Cloutman]

There is not even a hint of spring here in NH.  I worked outside all 
day on Friday as a ski instructor.  Gorgeous views of Lake 
Winnipasaukee and the White Mountains were a constant reminder of my 
Thru Hike in 2004.  Mount Washington was visible about 50 miles north 
from most of the trails on the mountain.  Thousands of ski lessons 
were taught this past week because of the Massachusetts Schools 
February Vacation.  But it was cold.  Monday the high temp for the 
day was 5 degrees F with extremely strong winds and a windchill of 
-30 degrees F.  It warmed up to the mid 20's during the week but 
Friday the temps stayed in the teens.  When I left the mountain at 
5:30 PM the temps had dropped again to below 10 degrees with very 
strong winds causing some drifting from the 3 inches of snow that 
fell during the night.  The snow is beautiful, the skiing superb. 
But it is cold.

Because we did not get any snow until the end of January many people 
are having problems with septic systems and water systems freezing. 
Heavy rains in the fall and early winter combined with no snow cover 
to insulate the ground has caused  hundreds of septic systems to 
freeze.  Once the cold weather hit NH everything quick froze.  The 
big lake, Winnipasaukee, froze so quickly the several dozen Loons 
were trapped on the ice and died.  My wife and I are currently living 
like hikers only indoors.  The leaching field for our septic system 
has frozen even though it is buried 6 feet under the ground.  We are 
now taking all our laundry to the laudramat.  We wash dishes in a 
dish pan then strain out the garbage from the dis water before 
throwing the water out on the snow covered lawn.  I am now only 
taking one shower every few days and wearing the same clothing 
several days per week.  We are using the mellow yellow rule with our 
toilet use and have to get the septic tank pumped out every so often. 
( we are using it like a holding tank.)  The leach field is likely to 
thaw mid to late April about the time crocus begin to bloom.

I enjoy the winter but this one turned out to be a little tougher 
than was expected.  I could use a good hike.




>Spring may be on the way, but it was only three days
>ago that I was hiking (on the AT, of course) up to
>Siler Bald (NC) in snow drifts!  Guess it's all gone
>now.  I'm hoping for one more good cold snap, so that
>I get more white stuff next weekend in the Grayson
>Highlands.  Anyone been there recently?
>
>Nocona
>
>
>
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-- 

Life is Good!!!
Art Cloutman