Yellowstone Country Safety * Heavy Shutters *

I was removing some shutters from a cabin this week that were constructed with 1X6 tongue and groove and 2x4 framing. Just a note of advice; if you are shuttering a six to eight foot picture window, use lighter material or plan on hiring a crane!

Yellowstone Country Safety * I found My Trailers *

I found my utility trailers this week. I knew they were under one of the snow mounds in the yard. I just wasn’t sure which one!

Damage Uncovered by the Receding Snow

As the warm weather chases away the last winter’s snow, cabin damage is unveiled. It is not unusual to see a piece of shredded metal roofing protruding from a melting pile of slide-off.

Last week while checking a few unoccupied cabins, I came across a partially collapsed roof over a hot tub and a framed-in chimney. Last week while checking a few unoccupied cabins, I came across a partially collapsed roof over a hot tub and a framed-in chimney that had torn away from a cabin’s roof. 

 The damage in both instances had Last week while checking a few unoccupied cabins, I came across a partially collapsed roof over a hot tub and a framed-in chimney. Last week while checking a few unoccupied cabins, I came across a partially collapsed roof over a hot tub and a framed-in chimney that had torn away from a cabin’s roof. 

Living in Island Park year-round provides a unique opportunity to witness the stress that winter inflicts on building in the caldera. Shopping for properties in Island Park usually occurs in the summer months. The area presents itself as a forested paradise, with no hint of the harsh winter months ahead. Cabins are built or purchased without consideration of snow-load, ice dams, snow removal or other equally important realities.

The newly-purchased cabin is enjoyed until Labor Day and then winterized. The owners return in the late spring to find that the cabin has been damaged and in need of repairs. It is far less expensive and emotionally draining to make arrangements with local residents to watch after the unattended cabin during the off-seasons and report any possible problems. Quick action can avoid or limit damage to the structures.

During the summer months, local contractors can also evaluate a property and suggest any changes that may help the structure winter safely. Prevention is always the cheapest way to deal with the caldera’s winters.

Island Park has its own set of unique challenges and the sooner one familiarizes oneself with them, the more enjoyable the stay.

Yellowstone Country Safety * Mud Season Cooking *

With the arrival of mud season comes the limited opportunities to eat out. It is a great time to explore a few new recipes that you have yet to try.

I Almost Forgot What Dirt Looked Like

The spring and mud season has kicked into high gear after a few early fits and starts. Daytime temperatures are forecast to exceed fifty degrees on a regular basis mixed with occasional rain showers signals the demise of the white blanket that has covered the caldera for the past six months. With the demise of the snow on the horizon comes the list of jobs to be accomplished before next fall’s snow arrives.

The first items on the list revolve around cleaning up from winter’s embrace. Shoveling snow from items long buried whose usefulness has grown with the appearance of dirt and channeling the runoff away from buildings. Rounding up broken pine boughs and cleaning up after dogs after six months of snow hiding the chore not done.

Hope to recover tools dropped in the snow over the winter increases as the snow level drops. Perhaps most of all, the projects that were either unfinished or not yet begun begin to move to the “To DO” list. There are the spring projects like removing trees and stumps while the soil is moist. Late spring brings with it the beginning of construction work; the mid-summer schedule includes roof repair and logging firewood. In five months, hunting season begins and the year’s projects must be completed.

But for now there is a lull while the ground is not ready for the real work to commence, giving us a little calm before the storm. That is one of my favorite aspects of mud season. The other part of spring that I relish is witnessing the slow unveiling of the forest floor. It is a friend that I have missed for half a year and I have looked forward to our reunion. The loss of each foot of snow increases my anticipation.

Witnessing the renewal of forest is an experience not enjoyed by many. I consider myself lucky to be able to share this experience with my wife and friends. We are blessed.

Yellowstone Country Safety * I wish the weather would decide *

I wish that the weather would decide what it is doing! The roads are too dry to ride my sled up to the trails and there is too much snow to start any of my spring projects.

Slush is Clean Mud

As daytime temperatures in the caldera consistently hover above freezing, the snow begins to melt. Slush is simply the transition from snow to mud.  Unlike the snow in the valleys, the snow does not disappear like the truth during a political campaign. The snow softens and condenses into a heavy slush that freezes at night and thaws by day. Adding to the slush are weekly additions of wet snow which actually increases the depth of the slog.

Driving through mountain slush is just as difficult as driving through mud. Your vehicle sinks in it, traction is impossible and if you hit a deep spot, your vehicle comes to an abrupt halt. Walking in it is just as difficult. After sinking down to your knees, your efforts to extricate your foot from each step results in your boot getting almost sucked off of your foot. The only advantage to slush over mud is your feet are cleaner when you extricate them!

There is no way to navigate around slush. It is too heavy to remove with a snow blower. You can’t dig a path through it because the semi-liquid immediately fills in any hole as it’s made. One accepts that the slush wade is inevitable for a while.

With the arrival of mud season is the certainty that the appearance of the ground is not far behind. With the change comes the anticipation that projects postponed for six months can begin. Objects that were dropped in the snow many moons ago suddenly reappear. Snow machines replace the ATVs at the rear of the garage as their owners anticipate the opening of the trails. After seven months of white, it will be nice to see green again!

Is the Cabin Haunted?

When Sheri and I moved to Island Park four years ago, we brought our malamute, Aspen along for the adventure. She quickly took to mountain life, making friends of our neighbors. Last year she made a new friend and presented us with two puppies, Boots and Socks. That is how we became a three dog family. The black and white lab/malamute-cross puppies have enough energy to provide power for the entire caldera if only it could be harnessed.

Not inclined to stay home, we keep them in the cabin until late evening when they are allowed to run. When I leave the cabin, Aspen usually lays in the driveway until I return. Over the past few weeks Boots and Socks have escaped from the cabin several times while I have been away. Sheri suggested that I was negligent for not completely shutting the door and tasked me with retrieving the dogs. What was really disconcerting was that each time the door was standing wide open. Had the puppies pawed at the ajar door and opened it wide before making their dash to freedom? I began wondering if the cabin had become haunted by a door-opening ghost or was age finally taking its toll on me.

The other day I cleared the snow out of the dog run so Boots and Socks could enjoy the sunny weather. I left Aspen outside to lie in the sun and returned inside to work on the computer. After about an hour I felt a cold breeze blow through the cabin. Walking into the TV room, the door was standing wide open and Aspen was lying comfortably on the floor.

This summer I changed the front door handle from a knob to a lever. Aspen learned how to open the door and let herself in. She is a smart dog that knows what she wants and I appreciate her initiative. I wonder if I can teach her to close the door behind her.

Leave it to Beaver

Last week I received a lesson in wiring the snow off the roof of my garage by Ron Hay.  Ron is a 77 year old Island Park resident who earned the nickname “Beaver” due to his trapping prowess. I have gotten to know Ron, his wife Nancy and son Ethan through my position as Ethan’s Scout leader. It was quickly apparent to me that Ron harbored an encyclopedia of mountain skills which he was eager to share upon request.  

While I have seen roof wiring done, I had never tackled it myself. The four feet of snow blanketing my garage presented me with the opportunity to learn the skill. While camping at Sheridan Ranch with Ron and Ethan, Ron was quick to give this rookie a lesson. Ron patiently walked me through the prep work of clearing the roof edges and shoveling off the peak. He instructed me on how to place the wire across the peak and he then completed the encirclement of one side of the roof with the wire. He pulled the wire through the snow until it broke loose and slid to the ground with a remarkably loud thud. We then repeated the procedure on the opposite side of the roof with the same result.

Ron was gracious enough to allow me to video and post my lesson on my YouTube Channel, “Base Camp with Mike and Sheri”. 

Many long-term residents of the caldera have valuable practical skills that make life in Yellowstone Country easier. Unfortunately they are too often overlooked. I appreciate the time that Beaver is spending imparting some of his knowledge to me. I am looking forward to the trapping lessons that he has promised me this fall.

It is a privilege to spend time with those who have learned how to coexist and thrive in the harsh and wild conditions of Island Park. 

Keeping Our Water Clean

Last week I visited with John Brown, who is employed by Fremont County to oversee the Island Park sewer system. There were a couple of issues that will need to be addressed due to the increase in visitors and residences in the caldera.

The first issue is that the EPA is concerned with the amount of discharge emanating from the Last Chance sewage treatment operation. They are worried that excessive amounts of organic compounds will enter the Henry’s Fork, stimulating the growth of the river’s vegetation and damaging the river’s ecosystem. Their initial proposal was to impose a mandatory fifty percent reduction of treated waste water to the plant. This would present a serious problem to the Last Chance residents.  

John is exploring an alternative of planting trees, grass or some other type of harvestable crop in the sewage drain field. The concept is that plants would absorb the excess nutrients before reaching the water system. The plants would be harvested regularly and removed from the area.

The second issue he mentioned was that the growth in Shotgun will necessitate a sewer system within ten years. He indicated that pollution is becoming evident in the streams and ground water. He is in the process of searching for a federal source of funding for a possible sewer system.

Fortunately we have people like John who work to maintain the balance between the environment and those who love to spend time in Island Park.

A Host of Friends

A close friend of mine occasionally brings me a couple of gallons of raw milk from a local dairy. My taste buds had been craving some Frosted Mini-Wheats drenched in the cream-rich milk. I received a call informing me that a delivery was on its way. When my friend arrived, he apologized for being tardy in dropping off the two one-gallon milk bottles but had been distracted by the hefty snowfall of the past few days.

As he opened the back of his vehicle to retrieve the milk, the image that confronted me was at first confusing. The rising hatchback unveiled two ice cream-filled glass containers that appeared to have been shattered with a hammer! “I guess the milk froze when I left it in the back of the car overnight”, my friend deduced. “Yep, no fresh milk for my cereal this week” I sighed.

A few days later another friend of mine asked if I’d drop by a cabin that he maintains and replace the filters in the hot tub. “No problem, what’s the address?” “2142 North Big Springs Loop” he replied. I drove over to North Big Springs Loop and began looking for the cabin. There were 4200’s and 4300’s but nothing approaching the numbers that he had given me. I called my friend, “Are you sure about the address? I can’t find anything even close.” “You have to just look a little. I have driven past it myself. It’s just a little east of Robin’s Roost” he said encouragingly. After spending forty minutes searching up and down the street, I received an apologetic call from my friend. “I am sorry, that address was actually the door code (I changed the numbers for obvious reasons).

With a new year come more experiences. I cannot wait to see what my friends have in store for me in 2016.

Christmas Memories

One’s mind holds a library of experiences accumulated over a lifetime. When we are young, the storage space is vast but the inventory is scant. Events add volumes to our library, which we access as needed.

The Christmas season triggers a desire to dust off some of those favorite memories and spend time reliving our warmest memories. Some events demand that they be related to a friend or family members. Others are like a warm blanket that you just wrap yourself in and savor the memory within yourself.

The memories begin cascading into your consciousness. Grandmother is still bustling around her kitchen as she prepares Christmas dinner. I can still hear her directing family members where to place the various culinary creations on the tables. I can still hear her call for Grandpa to come and carve the turkey.

Christmas mornings that you orchestrated for your own children bring back delightful feelings. I remember taking great pains to hide the stash of gifts where they couldn’t be found by kids who possessed the drive to search of Indiana Jones. I remember staying up until two am before arranging the packages under the tree to make sure that one of the kids wouldn’t wander in while Christmas preparations were completed.  Inevitably the anxious kids would descend upon us by 6:00 am. Didn’t I just climb into bed? Coming to the eventual conclusion that I was not going to get any more sleep, the kids were ordered to stay in the bedroom while I stoked the fire, turned on the train that circle the tree and queued up Bing Crosby’s White Christmas before unleashing the ravenous hoard.

Our first Christmas in Island Park was a special time. Christmas Eve we walked over to the Little Church in the Pines for the service. After an enjoyable time, we made our way back as it snowed. One could almost hear the heavy flakes hit the pine boughs as the moon lit the snow-covered road. The calm and serenity we felt was amazing.

Whatever the memory, Christmas has become intertwined in our life experiences. What I feel when I think of Christmas is gratitude for the love and experiences that I have been given.

Merry Christmas from Sheri and I.

A Caldera Thanksgiving

Before we moved to Island Park I had my notion of what living in a cabin would be like while preparing for Thanksgiving. Decorating our cabin and shoveling snow while singing “Over the river and through the woods” as Sheri prepared our holiday feast was my vision while contemplating my life in Island Park.

The week leading up to turkey day has turned out to be a little less pastoral than I imagined. My weekend started off helping set up the annual Island Park Historical Society Christmas Party.  Moving tables and chairs, getting vendors settled in and making sure the parking lot was cleared of snow.

Saturday I began preparing a cabin for a family who had recently purchased it and was looking forward to their first Thanksgiving in their new Island Park home. Helping install their dish (TV is a must for Thanksgiving, parades and FOOTBALL) required cutting down a large pine tree, digging a three-foot deep hole and procuring a 14 foot pole to mount the dish. While the installers were finishing up their work, there was water to turn on, heat to turn up and snow to remove.

Next there was a lesson in snow blower repair hosted by Greg Walker who takes great pains to teach me how to not destroy his equipment. Once the repair was completed, I was off to take a few photos of the Christmas party and line up a cover photo. Luckily I ran into Lesli Walker who had just returned from a Lifeflight training session at Harriman State Park. She showed me a few photos of the helicopter and I found one that looked like it would make a great cover. The cover was done.

My next move was to grab some breakfast/lunch/dinner at home and then head over to the Christmas party to help close it down with trailer in tow. There were tables to pick up and return to their owner, as well as several large sacks of garbage that needed to be hauled to the dump.

I then headed back to my cabin to write and submit my weekly column before leaving to meet those new cabin owners and give them a rundown of what to expect.

My pre-Thanksgiving weekend wasn’t at all what I had envisioned. IT WAS BETTER. I had the opportunity to stay busy serving others for whom I truly care. Life in Island Park has given us more than we could have ever hoped for. Both Sheri and I are very thankful! Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Yellowstone Country Hunting * Leg Bones *

My dogs keep returning home from the forest with deer legs. I trust that they have found a kill site and that there aren’t a few deer hopping around on three legs!

Clearing Early Snow

Snow removal requires more skill than is apparent to the casual observer. Most cabins are not designed with snow removal in mind. Each residence has its own set of obstacles that must be immediately assessed and avoided. Rocks, logs and low-hanging trees line driveways. Cabins and garages create ninety degree window-lined alcoves that must be blown out without damaging the glass.

Anticipating my second year of blowing snow, Greg Walker walked me through his plan for the first few weeks of snow removal. He would be responsible for the initial clearing of each property because the ground would not be frozen, making it easier to throw rock and mud with the snow. He would use the older blower because it was lighter and less likely to dig into the dirt. Once the base was established, he would assign areas for me to clear.

Last week Greg and his wife attended an emergency services training seminar in Sun Valley. Of course that turned out to be the same week of the first snowfall requiring blowing and the only blower that was operational was the new one.

Friday I received a flurry of texts from Greg informing me which cabins to blow out. With some anxiety I warmed up the tractor and proceeded on my route. I have been around enough of the locals who are skilled at moving snow to know that they pride themselves on leaving no trace of loose snow when they are finished with a driveway. I had no such expectation of myself.

My objectives were simple:

 Remove the snow so residents can get in and out of their driveways.  

    

    Don’t break anything on the customer’s property. Don’t hit buildings, fences, etc. with the tractor or flying debris.

   

           Don’t damage the blower by hitting large rocks, logs or other items obscured by the snow.

I was relieved that at the end of the day I accomplished all three of my goals. I did manage to skim a little driveway gravel causing a concerned resident to remind me that she would rather have the gravel remain in her driveway. I also received a texted photo of Thanksgiving porch decorations that received a dusting of snow as I was clearing a driveway. Apparently my inadvertent addition to her holiday display was not a welcomed addition to her original concept. Thankfully both individuals were very gracious and understanding as I worked through my learning curve.

I was mildly relieved when Greg returned the following evening and resumed his role as the blower of unfrozen ground. The more I watch others operate in Island Park, the more I realize how much I have to learn.

Yellowstone Country Safety * My List is Outlasting Fall *

I feel like one of the squirrels trying to gather every last nut before the snow. Unfortunately my list has outlasted the good weather!

Yellowstone Country Safety * Clear Driveway Before Snow *

It’s a time to move rocks and logs from your driveway before the snow flies. Smaller objects can be thrown from snow blowers and larger objects can severely damage a blower’s auger.   

Roof Work

Last week was a packed with roof work. With winter approaching and summer cabins being closed, roof repairs were foremost in several of my friends’ minds. They feel that since I fell off my roof last winter, I am a seasoned professional! I have a host of friends.

The two things that I learned from last year’s fall were first, stake the bottom of the extension ladder and second, tie off with a safety line. Pat Ridley recently explained that my choice of an anchor point for the safety line is very important. He once tied off to a company truck while working on a second story roof. Unfortunately, a co-worker decided to take the truck to lunch while Pat was working. Pat’s roof work came to an abrupt end as the truck to which he was tethered sped from the site. He was dragged over the roof and to the ground before the driver realized what he had done. Apparently Pat didn’t bounce any better than I did.

I spent my week replacing vents and metal roofing, tightening roofing screws and rebuilding roof valleys. I was glad to help a few friends who are apprehensive about laboring thirty feet above ground on metal roofs. Whatever skills that I have developed over the past three years are a testament to the help and patience of Island Park residents.

While I was climbing from peak to peak, I was happy that at sixty-one years old I am capable of such activities. Life in the caldera demands that one remain active. For that I am grateful.

Yellowstone Country Safety * Fall Roof Repair *

With the last few weeks of good weather at hand, it’s time to make those final roof repairs. Tightening roof screws, replace vents and repair flashing.  

Cleaning Our Chimney

Sheri and I have been working diligently to get our cabin ready for our first winter in our new home. I had already removed the gas log insert from the fireplace with the intention of replacing it with a wood burning insert. With the onset of colder temperatures, it was time to finish removing the propane plumbing and the flexible vent pipe from the chimney. Once all the hardware had been removed, I realized that the damper was stuck in the open position.

Realizing that the cabin’s warm air going up the chimney before the insert was available for installation, I slid into the fireplace and began working to dislodge the damper. I was not successful in closing the damper but I did manage to dislodge a copious amount of soot. By the time I exited from our masonry cave, I looked more like a raccoon or a chimney sweep from Mary Poppins.

Black soot was an inch deep in the fireplace and I assured Sheri that our wet/dry vacuum would make short work of the mess. I began washing up and Sheri began vacuuming up the black grit. After a few minutes the shop vac stopped working. I removed the top and realized that the debris was clogging up the cloth filter. I removed the fine filter and left the coarse filter in place. I turned the vacuum on and immediately Sheri began yelling, “Turn it off! Turn it off!”  Behind the vacuum a gray cloud of soot hovered throughout the cabin. Apparently the coarse filter does not stop soot from being expelled out of a shop vac. Who knew?

After a shower, some afternoon cleaning, several apologies and cooking lunch, my wife stopped pointing out what a knucklehead I was. She deserves a lifetime achievement award for her patience. When my day began I did not plan on turning myself into a human pipe cleaner.  The fireplace is now ready to accept the insert and I can certainly testify that it is clean.