Yellowstone "Winterkeepers": You think you shoveled this winter ?

[Chip]

One of my climbing/hiking mentors is a retired teacher in Bozeman who has spent several summers as manager of the Fishing Bridge Campground in Yellowstone.
He sent me the following link on the "Winterkeepers" there. Dale Fowler is mentioned and is a friend of my friend.

I shoveled some roof snow this winter, but this is out of control: http://www.bozemandailychronicle.co...cle_fb03a244-4aa2-11e0-a8dc-001cc4c03286.html

 

[timmus]

Thanks for posting this Chip. Very inspiring.

 

[Creag Nan Drochaid]

The shovelling life

Yes, their devotion to their work is inspiring. Yes, it is a way to "simplify" - Thoreau - life. Not that different from why we all need to go to wild places.
Howsomevah, I look at the pitch on them roofs, which don't look more'n 5 in 12, an I look at the 8 or 9 foot of snow on 'em, an I undahstand why it is that in New England we are partial to A-frames an similar types of roof with a pitch of at least 12 in 12... Creag nan drochaid

 

[Little Rickie]

Nice work if you can get it. I don't think it would be so bad to spend a winter like that. Life gets soooo complicated. It's a shame we can't all live simpler lives without living in the wilderness.

 

[Billy]

Chip, if you're a fan of Yellowstone, see if you can get your hands on the "Yellowstone: Battle for Life" DVD, an excellent documentary, probably the best YNP video I've seen. One of the extra features on the DVD is a profile on Jeff Henry aka "The Snowman". Very cool to watch him at work.

He has a delicate needle to thread. If he does his thing too early in the year, he might have to do it twice. If he waits too long and the snow gets too heavy...boom goes the roof.

Talk about a lot of snow: Motel owner in West Yellowstone told me he once had bison walking on the roof of his motel about 20 years ago. Never say never, but I'm pretty sure I'll never utter the words "Honey, do you hear bison on the roof?"

 

[DougPaul]

Chip, if you're a fan of Yellowstone, see if you can get your hands on the "Yellowstone: Battle for Life" DVD, an excellent documentary, probably the best YNP video I've seen.

While we are on the topic, I just caught "Yellowstone: Land to Life" on PBS on Thursday. Also very enjoyable. It looks like there are repeats on Sat (3/19), Mon (3/21), Tue (3/22), Mon (3/28), and Tue (3/29) in the Boston area. Check your local listings...

Doug

 

[erugs]

Enjoyed reading this. I was taught to shovel my roof by going across the peak and working my way back and forth till I reached the edge. Then, if I was lucky, I could just step off into the snow. Or if I slipped before then, I'd having something to slide into That couldn't have been possible with that amount of snow.

 

[DougPaul]

Years ago, I watched a TV program which showed some people clearing a lodge roof in Yellowstone. The roof had a fairly steep pitch and they used safety ropes. IIRC, at one point they used a rope to cut the snow to cause it to avalanche.

Doug

 

[Billy]

Years ago, I watched a TV program which showed some people clearing a lodge roof in Yellowstone. The roof had a fairly steep pitch and they used safety ropes. IIRC, at one point they used a rope to cut the snow to cause it to avalanche.

Doug

Yes, that's what Jeff Henry does. He cuts one path across the roof, and then uses a cable to slice the bottom of the snow pack......result is avalanche. He loves his job, but he's no fool. He uses gravity when he can.