Okanogan 14x24 by a lurker :)

[Redoverfarm]

Last report had 14" of new snow at the cabin (or at least within a half mile of it) and more snow all this week and weekend right through Christmas and beyond!

I've ordered the chains for the tractor (all 4) and should be able to pick them up today.  The plan is to leave right after Christmas and spend New Years at the cabin and then return to start the new job.  While there I hope to plow all this new snow off the driveway and around the cabin so we'll have places to work and park etc.

Other then that we might burn slash and generally just relax and ring in the new year

All of this of course, assuming the old XJ can plow through the deep snow and make it to or near the cabin!!!  Good thing I have 4 chains and a winch and at least 3 wheel drive   But I am told that a neighbors ranger has had no real trouble making it to the nearest spur road which is about a mile from our cabin so worst case scenario is we'll have to trudge in from there in nearly 2 feet of snow carrying chains for the tractor!  Good thing I've been walking 5+ miles a day to get back into shape! lol

Eric unless you are pushing snow you probably will not need the chains on your tractor.  Just tracking it through deep snow shouldn't be a problem.  Then once you get it to your XJ then put the chains on.  There is no way I would lug the chains for my tractor.     Several hundred pounds with mine.

[OlJarhead]

Problem is that under all that snow usually sits anywhere from 2" to 8" of solid ice

Though it may yet be too early in the winter for that much ice it's still pretty likely as night time temps can drop to the teens while day time temps can rise to the mid 30's....so melt, freeze, melt, freeze -- repeat until you've got a skating rink! lol

[Yonderosa]

Just over the hill we have 2 feet at our place right now.  The wind has blown it deeper in spots.  Snowshoes required.

[OlJarhead]

Hey Yonder, did you make it up?  How was it? 

[rick91351]

Problem is that under all that snow usually sits anywhere from 2" to 8" of solid ice

Though it may yet be too early in the winter for that much ice it's still pretty likely as night time temps can drop to the teens while day time temps can rise to the mid 30's....so melt, freeze, melt, freeze -- repeat until you've got a skating rink! lol

That is sort of like up our way come spring there is a foundation of about two foot of ice that you just can't wait to see disappear.  Then one day it is gone and the over night it is green and the birds are back.

  I'm already impatient for spring.......... 

[OlJarhead]

Yup

I might rip some of the ice out to reduce it a little but have no idea how well that will work.  I was just told the rippers on my box blade are good for that.

[Redoverfarm]

Eric I too have ice problems on the road to the cabin but that is usually further into the season.  Biggest problem is heavy traffic (bear season) on the snow covered road which packs the snow then the freeze thaw starts and runs continuously until spring.  Previously I kept the roads plowed and eliminated the packed snow which kept it ice free.  As long as I had a good layer of snow I was able to travel in a tram mode (no plowing).  But once it was plowed to reveal the underlying ice I would have to chain up.  It was always safer to plow downhill.  Once your traction is broke up hill you are doomed w/o chains.  Ask me how I know this.    .  Don't be fooled by chains.  Even on ice packed roads they can cause problems especially on the northwest turns where the sun never reaches.  The biggest obsticle that you will have will be using a bucket rather than a blade.  You constantly have to offbear the snow to the side that you are pushing. 

A couple years ago.  Skating ring.



Luckily the ambulance just stopped slidding before landing on top of another one that had already overturned in the turn.





That is just in one day.

[OlJarhead]

Scary stuff!  I think I remember you posting that a while back -- maybe a couple winters ago?

So far I've done well with the chains but I use the most aggressive ones I could find with the big V grooves in them.  Those as 3 driving wheels and I've been pretty solid even on thick ice going up or down hill.

The tractor has less aggressive chains but I'm hopeful with all the weight (tires filled too) and the teeth down on the box blade in case I need to drop it for added breaking power, I will be ok...guess we'll find out!

Bear in mind though, that we will be going VERY slow.  I drive the stuff in 4 low and just crawl along.

[Yonderosa]

It has been a while since we've been up.  The neighbors are keeping the road plowed.  We still have to hike in.  It has snowed (A LOT) more since.  Hoping to get back soon.  Stevens Pass was closed all day today.  A friend at the end of your valley told me there is about a foot at the highway.

[OlJarhead]

Our road is plowed!  The neighbor must have gotten his car out

Should mean we can make it all the way in or at least within a 1/4 mile!

[OlJarhead]

Still packing!  Tough time to head out (right after Christmas) but we're finally getting everything sorted and should be leaving in the early AM 

Trying to make sure we have everything too since we'll be there nearly a week and it won't be easy to go get what we forgot once there since we'd have to de-chain every time we come off the hill

I promise lots of pics though!

[Barry Broome]

Hope you enjoy it! 

[OlJarhead]

We made it!


Not much time but wanted to pop in and say hi!

We arrived at the foot of our driveway and promptly learned we could not drive further!  The 15" of snow and snow drifts that were deeper simply stopped us cold in our tracks -- and nearly driving off the road despite the chains!

So we bundled up, mounted headlamps on our knit caps, grabbed a sidearm each and headed off to the cabin with the keys to the cabin and tractor.

It took a few breaks and lots of heavy breathing but we made it to the cabin safely and got the tractor started as well as the wood stove.

Once the tractor was warmed up (about 45 minutes) and the cabin was warming (it took about 6 hours to get it to 60) I began slowly plowing my way back to the truck.

However I could not get the road cleared enough to make it up the hill in the truck so backed it out of the way and loaded as much as we could into the bucket of the tractor and headed back....after 5 hours we were secure in the cabin with most of our gear and ready to crash!

The next morning we got up and got started again.  This time I plowed the road almost down to the dirt in the last spot (dirt and rocks showing through the snow anyway) and had no problem getting the truck up that first steep and treacherous hill!   WE MADE IT!

I'll post some pics later and add to the tale but suffice to say it was a GREAT long weekend!

[JavaMan]

Color me green with envy.  I wish I could make it even close to my place in the winter. 

Glad to hear you made it safely, and had a nice warm weekend

[OlJarhead]

Friday after plowing the roads into the cabin and getting the truck back to it.

I was just starting a nasty cold when we left for the cabin so once we were fully settled I pretty much spent my time either bundled up on the tractor plowing snow or hiding in front of the wood stove relaxing   It was a great place to fight off a cold!


This herd comes around from time to time and I'm pretty sure they are wild.  Was kinda like having company!


Got to check the game cam after settling in and was surprised by this guy!


and then I saw this!!!

If only I could have been sitting in a blind above the road when he came trotting along!!  Must have been well into the Rut.


Not sure but I think this might be a kitty -- hard to see though.


Despite failing to get a roof on the woodshed it held up despite the constant snow!  It's been snowing for a few weeks.


Can't help but love to be there this time of year!  Warm inside, cold outside but the cold was dry and easy to handle.

The coldest it got down to was -2 on New Years day.  Most of the time it was overcast (so no solar production really) and warmer.

Speaking of solar, I've been seriously thinking that I need to insulate the porch and maybe even put a small wood stove (like the Dickson 8000 btu stoves for boats) in it to keep the batteries warmer when we're there.  After all, if a battery loses 50% when it's down to 32 degrees then my 880ah bank which is probably undersized to begin with, is even less useful when it's 32 degrees!  As in, only worth 440 AH.

We ran the genny a LOT in order to keep the batteries charged and the heat trace on the sewer pipe running.

[OlJarhead]

Color me green with envy.  I wish I could make it even close to my place in the winter. 

Glad to hear you made it safely, and had a nice warm weekend

I actually wish I had a sled or two for this time of year because honestly, we nearly didn't make it!  But the big red tractor was there for us and once we had it running and plowing snow we were set for the week!  I also went and plowed a couple miles of road and into a neighbors place and cleaned up their parking spots so they wouldn't have trouble.  It's was a surprise for them too since they were off visiting friends.  Their road was worse then ours and when they came back it was almost down to the dirt! lol

Can't say enough how happy I was to have the tractor ready to rescue us from the snow!  It made this trip very worthwhile!

[OlJarhead]

Plowed and passable   It took several passes to make the road wide enough so the truck wouldn't fight the snow on one side or the other and before I got all the plowing done I'd broken a mirror by hugging one side and avoiding deep snow on the downside of the drive...just didn't see the sapling and the near 0 degree weather made the glass shatter!


This section I only made a couple passes on and took it down about 12" leaving a few inches packed hard to drive on.  Worked out pretty well and I could easily get the truck up to the 'phone' spot.


Sunrise New Years Day on top of our place


A last look back down the driveway on our way out.

[John Raabe]

Thanks for the great photos and for taking us along for the the trip. Great getaway site, I can almost smell the crisp pine-scented air.

[small cabin dreamer]

Your place is very inspiring to me OJH, I have to ask a question about your composting toilet. Can you put toilet paper down it, or do you have to put paper in a separate container? I have seen some posted pictures where there is a 5 gallon container next to the toilet, and you do too. Just wondered if any of these will accept the toilet paper in them?

[Redoverfarm]

Eric did you drag your chains from your truck to the cabin?  I see you had installed them on the tractor.

[OlJarhead]

Your place is very inspiring to me OJH, I have to ask a question about your composting toilet. Can you put toilet paper down it, or do you have to put paper in a separate container? I have seen some posted pictures where there is a 5 gallon container next to the toilet, and you do too. Just wondered if any of these will accept the toilet paper in them?

Toilet paper is GOOD for the composter   The bucket is for water because I haven't hooked it up to the water system yet.

So no worries   Best to do the toilet paper test to be sure yours is ok but I find the cheapest double ply is excellent for the composting toilet.

[OlJarhead]

Eric did you drag your chains from your truck to the cabin?  I see you had installed them on the tractor.

Nope!  I was dying without them! lol  Instead I plowed my way back to the truck and found that the tractor was fine going down the hill without them.  We installed them in the dark!  Sucked too!

[OlJarhead]

Thanks John -- I wish I could have smelled the pine!  I was too stuffed up but loved the place all the same   Always sad to leave!!!

[rick91351]

Amen to always sad to leave..............

[Tickhill]

Thanks for sharing your trip OJ, I always look forward to your trips, probably not as much as you do but...
Tickhill