Got Snow?

Acadia LOVES the snow

Got Snow?

Here in Maryland, we certainly do and more is on the way according to the National Weather Service.

30 inches of snow blanket the house from the Superbowl Sunday/Monday storm

Today's forecast includes a Winter Storm Watch predicting anywhere from six inches to a foot of new snow. And it's not like it's been a dry year. To date, this year (i.e., since January), we've accumulated 52 plus inches of snow here in Maryland. And that doesn't even include our early December 2009 blizzard which dumped another foot of the white stuff.

It's a good thing that here at Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC, we LOVE snow. And even with all of the extra chores associated with big snow falls, I have to admit it's been very fun running all of our dog sledding programs using the dog sleds instead of the wheeled dog sleds (called a "rig" or "gig"). For photographs from some of our recent dog sledding programs, check out this blog entry and our Gallery.

Acadia plays in the snow from the December '09 Baltimore blizzard

Happy dog sledding, folks.

Issued by The National Weather Service
Baltimore/Washington, MD
3:18 am EST, Wed., Feb. 24, 2010

... WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT...

A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT.

* PRECIPITATION TYPE... SNOW.

* ACCUMULATIONS... POTENTIAL FOR SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 OR MORE INCHES.

* TIMING... A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW THIS EVENING WILL BECOME ALL SNOW BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND 3 AM TONIGHT. SNOW WILL LIKELY CONTINUE THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT... ESPECIALLY ACROSS NORTHEAST MARYLAND.

* TEMPERATURES... LOWS NEAR 30 TONIGHT. HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MID 30S THURSDAY. LOWS IN THE MID TO UPPER 20S THURSDAY NIGHT.

* WINDS... NORTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH TONIGHT... INCREASING TO 15 TO 25 MPH THURSDAY WITH GUSTS AROUND 45 MPH LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND THURSDAY NIGHT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.

Now if we could just send some of the snow we have accumulated here in Maryland over the past month north to our cabin in Maine and to our New England mushing friends, everything would be perfect.

Here's hoping some new snow falls up at camp

Things (snow that is) are looking up even up at camp as a Winter Weather Advisory has been posted for Maine as well as Maryland. Up at camp, they are forecasting approximately six inches of snow out of the storm that produced rain yesterday here in Maryland with another several feet of snow in the forecast for later in the week.

Snowy cabin

Issued by The National Weather Service
Portland, ME
3:04 am EST, Wed., Feb. 24, 2010

... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EST THIS EVENING...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EST THIS EVENING.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES... AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

More Information

... SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED ACROSS PORTIONS OF WESTERN MAINE AND NORTHERN AND WESTERN NEW HAMPSHIRE TODAY...

.LOW PRESSURE LOCATED OFF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST THIS MORNING WILL TRACK NORTH AND WEAKEN AS IT APPROACHES SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND LATER TODAY. AHEAD OF THE LOW... PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THIS EVENING.

SNOW WILL CONTINUE... HEAVY AT TIMES... IN THE CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY AND THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE. DURING THE AFTERNOON... THE HEAVY SNOW WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS OF WESTERN MAINE. AS THE LOW WEAKENS... THE SNOW WILL TAPER OFF FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST. THE LAST OF THE HEAVIEST SNOW WILL EXIT THE MOUNTAINS OF WESTERN MAINE DURING THE LATE EVENING HOURS.

TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS FROM THIS STORM WILL BE AS MUCH AS 6 TO 12 INCHES ACROSS WESTERN AND NORTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE.

ANOTHER STORM IS POSSIBLE THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY... AND THIS STORM COULD PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY SNOWFALL. IT IS STILL TOO EARLY TO TELL JUST HOW MUCH SNOW WILL FALL WITH THE SECOND STORM.

Snow Report!

Even Sobo is not sure what to do with all of the snow?

As many of you already know, over the course of 72 hours last week, Baltimore received over 50 inches of snow. While the Maryland Sled Dog Adventures sled dogs love snow as do I, I have to admit that I am a little tired of shoveling the white stuff.

The snow began in earnest, I am told, on Saturday, February 6, 2010 and continued depositing, officially, 28 inches of snow in Baltimore. Eric and I did not experience this first "snow event" firsthand since we were still blissfully ensconced in our cabin up in Maine.

Snow on the patio before the Tuesday storm

On Monday morning bright and early, Eric and I departed Maine for Baltimore. Driving south we encountered few problems and arrived in Baltimore, on time, by about 6:30 pm and then the fun really started.

Climbing up our hill was challenging and required four wheel drive since the City of Baltimore had not yet plowed our street. Thankfully, several of our neighbors had private plow services plow them out so the lower portion of our street was at least passable with 4WD. Past our house, the only access was via snow shoes. Our wonderful neighbor, Ethel, allowed us to park on her plowed driveway until we could shovel out a pad on our driveway for the truck to pull into. So at 6:30 pm, Eric and I began carrying gear from a week's worth of dog sledding adventures from the dog truck (aka the Expedition) into the house through nearly 30 inches of un-tracked snow. Thankfully, we had loaded our snow shoes on top of all of the gear in the truck. After bringing in the sled dogs, the cat, Chloe, and any gear that would freeze overnight, Eric and I shoveled the driveway until nearly 1:00 am just to clear a pad long enough (barely) for the truck to park on. After shoveling for what seemed like an eternity, we moved the truck up to our driveway and fell into bed too exhausted to even speak.

At about 4 am the next morning, the City of Baltimore plow arrived to plow a portion of our street. Having left the steepest section of the street un-plowed during the storm, the City plow (a plow tinier than the private plow of the guy who plows our driveway in Maine) could only clear the lower half of the street. Result: You still needed snow shoes to go up Poplar Hill Road past our house. In the process of plowing Poplar Hill and Terrace Glen, the City plow somehow managed to wipe out our mail box.

Awakening bright and early on Tuesday morning, more shoveling was in store for us as I ran to the grocery store to stock up on necessities before the next big storm while Eric began attempting to shovel a path to the Jetta. At about noon on Tuesday, Eric managed to flag down one of our neighbor's plow services and six guys made short work of shoveling out the Jetta, plowing the driveway, and shoveling out from behind the garage (and area that can't be plowed). After clearing the driveway, we spent some time shoveling snow off the gutters which by this time were hanging onto the house by a precipitous thread. All of this occurred just in time for the next big storm.

The house after the Saturday storm and before the Tuesday storm

Beginning of the Tuesday storm

As blizzard warnings buzzed over the airways and yet another big nor'easter took aim at the mid-atlantic, Eric and I hunkered down to wait out the next big storm. Due to the high (50 MPH) winds that would accompany this storm, we also prepared to be without power.

At about 1 pm on Tuesday it began snowing and did not stop until late Wednesday night. During that time, we picked up another 23 inches of snow. During this time, Eric and I would go outside every 2-3 hours and shovel another four, five or six inches of snow off the driveway. Who thought taking the snow blower up to Maine was a good idea? As the snow tapered off, the winds accelerated. Snow laden trees waved back and forth threateningly. While we lost several branches during the Saturday and Tuesday storms, a couple of small trees, and one 20 foot cedar, thankfully, we did not have any big trees come down in the storm as many of our neighbors did. We also did not lose power during the Tuesday storm and, according to our neighbor, were only without power after the Saturday storm for about three hours.

The giant snow bank at the end of both storms

For those of you who are math challenged: 28 inches + 23 inches = 51 inches of snow....in 72 hours. After the Tuesday blizzard wrapped up, on the year, Baltimore had received more snow than Buffalo, NY, Caribou, ME, Chicago, IL, and a host of other traditionally snowy east coast and midwest cities.

The tunnel of snow we must drive through to go down our driveway

Thursday and Friday, we finally ventured out to check out the trails for our dog sledding programs that were scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. Arriving at the Monkton station on the NCR trail, we discovered that there were no tracks on the trail. Breaking out the snow shoes once again, Eric and I strapped in and headed up trail. Anyone who has snowshoed, knows that snowshoeing, especially in deep snow, is insanely hard. Up and down the trail we went for about 4 hours, packing the trail. On Friday morning, we returned for another 4 hours of trail packing.

Just in case, 51 inches of snow was not enough, we are presently (as of 5 pm on Monday, February 15th) under a winter weather advisory and are getting hit with an Alberta Clipper. Unlike a nor'easter, however, clippers usually only deliver several inches of snow and this one is forecast to deliver anywhere from 1-3 inches of snow in our area.

On a happier note, the abundance of snow has meant that we have been running our dog sledding tours, rides and programs using our dog sleds and on snow instead of dryland, using our wheeled dog sleds (called "rigs" or "gigs"). Stay tuned for more photos and stories from our recent dog sledding adventures.

Baltimore Blizzard of 2009

Okemo's snow nose.

Well, it's official. Baltimore is under a blizzard warning. I've lived in Maryland for over ten years and have seen only one other blizzard warning during the storm of 2003. That storm stranded me and my visiting sister, Jennifer Simmons O'Connor for four days. Her flight back to Seattle was canceled, my rear wheel drive BMW wasn't going anywhere, and I only had two sled dogs, Zoe and T-Bone.

Now retired sled dog, T-Bone.

Veteran lead dog, Zoe.

Acadia, Okemo and Sobo romp in the dog yard

Acadia heads out to check out the "back 40"

Here at Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC, we're up to five sled dogs, one dog sled, two wheeled dog sleds (rigs), one dog scooter, two sets of snow shoes, two sets of cross country skis (also used for skijoring), one set of down hill skis, a snow board, a four wheel drive dog truck complete with dog boxes, and more outdoor clothing, boots and gear than REI. The only thing missing is a "partridge in a pear tree" but I suspect Okemo would have eaten that dang partridge long ago. In any event, my point being, we love snow. Indeed, we live for snow. We purchased a cabin in Maine for the purpose of spending more time dog sledding on snow. In February 2011, in addition to our Maryland dog sledding tours, rides and programs, we'll be offering a very special four day women's only dog sledding adventure: Our Maine Winter Cabin Adventure.

Wheel dog, Okemo, romps around the hydrangea bushes

We don't always know where lead dog, Acadia is going but we know she is going there fast

T-Bone smells snow.

Acadia and Okemo play

Our youngest dog, Acadia, plays with her ballsicle.

Sobo is faster than Okemo

Since 9 am, Baltimore has been under a blizzard warning:

Issued by The National Weather Service

Baltimore/Washington, MD
9:08 am EST, Sat., Dec. 19, 2009

... BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST THIS EVENING... ... WINTER STORM WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM EST SUNDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD WARNING... WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST THIS EVENING. THE WINTER STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM EST SUNDAY.

* PRECIPITATION TYPE... SNOW.

* ACCUMULATIONS... HEAVY SNOW WITH ACCUMULATIONS OF 12 TO 22 INCHES THROUGH TONIGHT.

* TIMING... SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. SNOW WILL BE HEAVIEST BETWEEN 8 AM AND 6 PM TODAY.

* TEMPERATURES... UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S THROUGH THE EVENT... LOW TO MID 30S IN COASTAL SOUTHERN MARYLAND.

* WINDS... 15 TO 25 MPH... WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH DURING THE DAY TODAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITEOUT CONDITIONS... MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DO NOT TRAVEL. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL... HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU. IF YOU GET STRANDED... STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW... SLEET... AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

Acadia has something in her sights...

Trees coated with snow

At present (10:40 am), we have about fifteen (15) inches of snow on the ground and the sled dogs could not be more ecstatic (as you can see in the photos). The snow is supposed to continue well into tonight. The truck is packed, the drive way has been cleared (too bad we took our big snow blower up to Maine), and our road has even been plowed once or twice by the good ol' City of Baltimore. As soon as the snow lightens, we'll head out for some Maryland dog sledding (on snow). Stay tuned for photos.

Sobo, both a leader and a wheel dog

I love my fur wheel drive!

Hydrangeas, Hostas and Sled Dogs

Deep purple lace cap hydrangea

It's hot, it's humid and it's not my favorite time of the year. All that being said, the garden does look pretty great right about this time of the year, especially the hydrangeas and the hostas. Hydrangeas are one of my favorite flowers and were featured prominently in our wedding flowers. Not surprisingly, in our back yard we have a "wall" of hydrangeas.

Table Centerpieces

Wedding Party Bouquets

My Bouquet

The blossoms on our Oak Leaf hydrangea start out white

Then they gradually turn pink

Finally ending up as vibrant pink blossoms

The view from the guest bedroom: Flowering Lace Cap Hydrangea

The other major indicator that summer has arrived is the vegetable gardens. This year our vegetable gardens seem to be growing a bit slower than in years past. Soon, we are hoping to harvest some yummy veggies including tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers from the vegetable garden.

The tomatoes are getting bigger....

Later in the summer as the crab apples ripen, we hope to make crab apple jelly with the crab apples from the tree in our front yard. In prior years the crab apples have been fodder for the deer and rabbits that frequent our yard despite the presence of our sled dogs.

Ripening crab apples

As we approach the "dog days" of summer, the hostas color the yard with their delicate purple and white flowers. Hostas are prevalent throughout our yard as these plants thrive in shade. The plants we got from one of our neighbors last summer are doing quite well and have huge green foliage with tall purple flowers.

Hosta

The dogs love to sit in the hostas planted along the field stone wall and await Eric's arrival home from work. Sobo especially loves to sit, and watch and wait...

A young Sobo frolics in the hostas

The Welcome Wagon