www.RogerWendell.com
Roger J. Wendell
Defending 3.8 Billion Years of Organic EvolutionSM
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Snow Day

Roger J. Wendell at Montezuma, Colorado - 12-30-2007 My family and I have lived in Colorado most of our lives and have seen some pretty big snowstorms along the Front Range (That's the official geological name for the portion of the Rocky Mountains that cities like Fort Collins, Boulder, Denver, and Colorado Springs back up against). So, this is a kind of a collection of various pix from the various storms that I've survived so far...

 

 

Arrow Pointing Right Click Here for my page on skiing...
Arrow Pointing Right Click Here for my page about Snow Caves and Quinzhees...
Arrow Pointing Right Click Here for my skiing experience at Margy's Hut and the house of Hunter S. Thompson!

 

FPS Snow Blower (Troy-Bilt Storm 2410)

 

(Click on any of this page's thumbnail images for a larger view)

 

March 13, 2019:

Colorado's so-called "Land Hurricane" or "Bomb Cyclone?"
Definately overstated by media but for what purpose? Seemed to me to
be just like any other March snowstorm along Colorado's Front Range...
Colorado's so-called 'Bomb Cyclone' - 03-13-2019 Colorado's so-called 'Bomb Cyclone' - 03-13-2019 Colorado's so-called 'Bomb Cyclone' - 03-13-2019 Colorado's so-called 'Bomb Cyclone' - 03-13-2019 Colorado's so-called 'Bomb Cyclone' - 03-13-2019

 

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April 30, 2017:

The Denver area was hit with a moderate storm at a time when I was living between two homes in Genesee and Green Mountain. Both are located
immediately west of Denver and as you can see, from these photos, were hit pretty hard with almost two feet (0.6 metres) of accumulation in Genesee...
Late April Snow by Roger J. Wendell, 04-29-2017
Trying to find the cars!
Late April Snow by Roger J. Wendell, 04-29-2017
Digging out the cars...
Late April Snow by Roger J. Wendell, 04-29-2017
No breakfast on the deck this morning!
Late April Snow by Roger J. Wendell, 04-30-2017
Still shoveling the next day... (taken by my game camera)

 

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Multiple Years:

December Snow by Roger J. Wendell, 12-27-2014
2014 - Sloughing off
April Snow by Roger J. Wendell, 04-17-2015
2015 - snow on telephone wire
March Snow by Roger J. Wendell, 03-23-2016
2016 - Nearly 41 centimetres (16 inches)

 

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2013:
Late March snowfall:

March Snow by Roger J. Wendell, 03-24-2013
Nearly 38 centimetres (almost 15 inches) fell before I took this photo on March 24th. By the time I had taken it a a little settling had taken place but it was still pretty deep!
 
Bush with leaves through winter by Roger J. Wendell, 03-24-2013
This bush was a bit strange in that it kept about a third of its leaves intact throughout the entire winter! I have not seen this before - especially with so much green left on the leaves. Could it be due to milder temperatures from the effects of Climate Change?

 

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2012:
AIARE Level 1 Avalance Training and another storm hits our backyard and DIA!

WARNING: Avalanche safety is serious business - you need to undertake a lot more study and training than simply looking at these pix or watching a few videos on the internet! This particular set of pictures and video link is from a very small portion of the AIARES level one training session that I attended through the Colorado Mountain Club. I encourage you to contact the Colorado Mountain Club, the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education, or other credible and accredited organizations to find out how you can participate in similar training.
CMC AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Training at Berthoud Pass, Colorado - 01-21-2012
Avalanche beacon search
CMC AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Training at Berthoud Pass, Colorado - 01-21-2012
Avalanche beacon search
CMC AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Training at Berthoud Pass, Colorado - 01-21-2012
Avalanche probe pole
CMC AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Training at Berthoud Pass, Colorado - 01-21-2012
Avalanche probe pole
The three photos to the
right are an indication of
how things turned out in
the Denver area just two
weeks later...
20 Inches Accumulation in our backyard on 02-04-2012
20 Inches in our backyard
50 Centimetres Accumulation in our backyard on 02-04-2012
50 centimetres in our backyard
Denver International Airport by Tracy Koch 02-03-2012
Denver International Airport by Tracy Koch

 

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YouTube Logo Click Here for one of my YouTube videos during an AIARE Level 1 Avalanche training session sponsored by the Colorado Mountain Club...

 

2011:
A regular winter's day near Marble, Colorado

Roger J. Wendell at the entrance to Marble, Colorado on 02-26-2011
Me
Cabin near Marble, Colorado on 02-26-2011
Cabin
Water valve to cabin near Marble, Colorado on 02-26-2011
Main water valve
Winnebago near Marble, Colorado on 02-26-2011
Winnebago
Pellet stove in cabin near Marble, Colorado on 02-26-2011
Keeping warm with a pellet stove
Wood pellets at cabin near Marble, Colorado on 02-26-2011
Wood pellets @ $0.10/pound

 

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2010:
Snowpack monitoring station at Berthoud, Colorado

Berthoud Pass Snowpack Monitoring Station Roger J. Wendell - 01-17-2010 Berthoud Pass Snowpack Monitoring Station Roger J. Wendell - 01-17-2010 Berthoud Pass Snowpack Monitoring Station Roger J. Wendell - 01-17-2010 Berthoud Pass Snowpack Monitoring Station Roger J. Wendell - 01-17-2010 Berthoud Pass Snowpack Monitoring Station Roger J. Wendell - 01-17-2010
Berthoud Pass Snowpack Monitoring Station Roger J. Wendell - 01-17-2010 Berthoud Pass Snowpack Monitoring Station Roger J. Wendell - 01-17-2010 Berthoud Pass Snowpack Monitoring Station Roger J. Wendell - 01-17-2010 Berthoud Pass Snowpack Monitoring Station Roger J. Wendell - 01-17-2010

 

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YouTube Logo Click Here for my YouTube video of snowpack monitoring station at Berthoud Pass, Colorado

 

2009:

Although this wasn't the heaviest snowfall of the season it was certainly the wettest! Many trees were bent and bowed to the ground but will recover by the end of summer. While most of the Denver area saw this storm as rain those of us in the foothills and canyons saw it as continuous snowfall from Friday morning through Saturday afternoon. Accumulations were over 100 centimetres, in some areas, but the high moisture content quickly collapsed the snowpack...

Amby's Snowman - 04-18-2009 Wet Snow Storm of April 17 and 18, 2009 Wet Snow Storm of April 17 and 18, 2009
14 inches (35 centimetres)
Wet Snow Storm of April 17 and 18, 2009
Birdbath and feeder
Wet Snow Storm of April 17 and 18, 2009
Outdoor grill

 

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YouTube Logo - Small Click Here for a YouTube video of the inside of a snowblower...

 

2006:

Christmas 2006 was especially brutal for Denver and Colorado's Front Range. The first wave started on December 20th and dumped an average of two feet (61 centimetres) all over the metro area. The second wave hit just a week later, on December 28th, dumping another foot. The first wave completely crippled Denver, stranding thousands of air passangers at our relatively new "storm immune" airport (a speculators' and developers' dream that was fought against in the early 90s...). Anyway, I was in Nevada during the first wave but somehow managed to fly home in time shovel out of the second one. The two photos at the right show how much snow was still left the following week after the second storm!

Typical Dusting - 01-22-2006
Here's a typical dusting!
Our Driveway 12-30-2006
Christmas 2006
Our Driveway 12-30-2006 Narrow Sidewalk After Storms - 01-02-2007
Narrow Sidewalks
Trash Pick-up - 01-02-2007
Trash collection...

 

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Arrow Pointing Right Click Here for my page on Snow Caves...

 

Snow tube around our telephone wire:

Roger Wendell's hand and snow tube on our telephone wire - 10-26-2006
At least 5 inches diameter!
Snow tube on our telephone wire - 10-26-2006
Looking up hill
Snow tube on our telephone wire - 10-26-2006
Side view
Snow tube on our telephone wire - 10-26-2006
Toward house
On October 26, 2006 we had a surprisingly wet and heavy snowfall up here on Green Mountain. For reasons only known to physics our telephone line, and no other wires, accumulated this huge, tube-like coating of snow over most of it's length. Being really heavy, it pulled the line down to head-level in the backyard - springing back up when I removed the snow...

 

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Arrow Pointing Right Click Here for my page about our Green Mountain neighborhood...

My Cars

Denver Wet Snow Day 10-10-2005
Trees fall on cars...

2005:

This October 10, 2005 storm was wet and heavy. Although the car wasn't damaged I did have to remove a large broken branch above what you see here...

Denver Wet Snow Day 10-10-2005
Solid ice...

2010:

In early February I was on a business trip to Grand Junction on Colorado's "western slope." My car was 17 years old, at the time, and never had had its windshield replaced. I found a good deal, for $165, and had it done - not thinking how cold it was going to be only a dozen hours later when I took this photo...

 

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April 10/11, 2005 (Sunday/Monday)

This storm was predicted well in advance yet still caused considerable disruption. At our house, which is about 1,000 feet higher than Denver, we and our neighbors recorded 19 inches as an average depth across our yards. Although it was Amby's birthday she was away in North Carolina so all we were able to take a photo of was her car (it's in the lower left-hand corner of this series)...

Mother Fox in our backyard the day before the storm... On April 9th, 2005 (a day before the big storm) Tami took a picture of one of the two mother foxes leaving their den in our backyard. It was about 70 degrees out and we counted a total of 9 "kits" following the moms around that morning. We have photos of other animals on our Backyard Wildlife page...

24 Inches Patio wall
24" patio wall
24 Inches along Patio
24" along patio
20 Inches on Hot Tub
20" on Hot Tub
16 Inches on Front Steps
16" on front steps
19 Inches on Bird Bath
19" on bird bath
19 Inches on Bird Bath
19" on bird bath
Dick and Sylvia's House also 19 inches
Dick and Sylvia's (19")
Swinging Chair
Swinging Chair
Tami in swinging chair
Tami in swinging chair
Front Steps
Front Steps
Garden Arch
Garden Arch
Wishing Well
Wishing Well
Bird Feeder #1
Bird Feeder #1
Bird Feeder #2
Birder Feeder #1
Bird Feeder #2
Bird Feeder #2
Bird Bath
Bird Bath
Bird Bath and Roger
Roger at Bird Bath
Roger relaxes in Hammock
Roger relaxes in hammock
Amby's Car
Amby's car
Amby's Car
Amby's car
Compost bin
Compost bin
Patio table
Patio table
Patio Furniture
Patio furniture
Roger still in Hammock
Roger still in hammock...

 

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A bit of fun!

Snowmen Playing Poker by Jon Tater and his children - Commack, NY 2003/04
(Posted with permission) - Snowmen playing poker by Jon Tater and his children during the winter of 2003/04 - Commack, NY

 

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Blizzard of March 18/19, 2003

Snow Day Logo Arrow Pointing Right Click Here for a Word Document containing the pix of the March 2003 storm at my house...

 

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The Blizzard of '82
(Christmas 1982)

This was the "big one" that old-timers still talk about. Most of the Denver
area was paralyzed for nearly three days. We lived near Cherry Creek Reservoir,
at the time, and I-225 was impassable. We weren't able to heat our house because
the electricity went out for many hours. Luckily we had a small fireplace in the
living room that added a little comfort. Unfortunately the accumulated snow was
so deep I wasn't able to get out and about to take too many photos at the time...

Our 1973 Honda Civic
Our 1973 Honda Civic
Family Friend and Neihbor Steve Archuleta
Steve Archuleta
Motorcycle on South Nile Street
Motorcycle S. Nile St
Our 17427 East Grand Drive House
Our Grand Drive house*
East Grand Drive Aurora
East Grand Drive Aurora
*If you click on the 4th photo, "Our Grand Drive house," you'll see Tami in the window holding baby 'Ogy...

 

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Shoveling Snow Without a Shirt!

Roger Shoveling Snow, 11590 East Kentucky Avenue, Aurora, Colorado 80012 - January 1975 In 1975, before Global Warming really started to take off, I was fond of shoveling and completing other winter chores without a shirt! This photo was taken in front of my parent's home at 11590 East Kentucky Avenue, Aurora, Colorado - January, 1975

 

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The Blizzard of '72

It was sometime late in the 1972 school year, at Cherry Creek High School, that another huge
storm shut things down for awhile. Back then snowstorms seemed rather routine since the Denver
area was relatively small so there was very little wind break and virtually no "heat island"
effect from asphalt and building structures. I mostly remember the blizzard of '72 because a
number of students tried to create an annual "Blizzard Day" (pronounced "Bli" as in "lid" and "Zard"
as in "lard") as an excuse to miss class. The tradition, I'm sure, was dead by the '74 school year...

Anyway, no pix from '72 yet but I'll keep looking!

YouTube Logo - Small Click Here for my video about snow plowing a parking lot...
Plowing the Streets

 

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Red, Pink, and Watermelon Snow:

Throughout most of my life, in Colorado, I've encountered what we call "watermelon snow" at higher elevations where there's been no fresh snowfall, for a few days, and the temperature has started to warm up a bit. The pink or red color of the snow, even in small patches, is easily seen from a distance and sometime smells, to me, like watermelon (although that may be more of a physcological influence than actual chemical sensation). Anyway, science tells us that this type of snow is caused from Algal cells that are actually living on the surface of the snow.

Caution! There's every indication that eating "watermelon" snow, or using it to make water or cook in, is hazardous to your health - avoid ingesting it!!

I took these photos near the 13,215' summit of Hassell Peak in July, 2006: Watermlon Snow on Hassell Peak, Colorado - July 16, 2006 Watermlon Snow on Hassell Peak, Colorado - July 16, 2006 Watermlon Snow on Hassell Peak, Colorado - July 16, 2006 Watermlon Snow on Hassell Peak, Colorado - July 16, 2006

Wayne's Word, an online textbook of natural history,
had this to say about watermelon snow:

"The bright red carotenoid pigment inside the cells of snow algae is similar to that found in tomatoes, red peppers and in many colorful flowers and autumn leaves. Carotenoids may also be orange, yellow or yellow-green as in carrots and the fleshy meat of avocados. They are also found in a variety of animals, including the exoskeletons of shrimp, crab and lobsters, brightly colored corals, skins of fish and amphibians, egg yolks, and pink plumage of flamingos. Since flamingos cannot synthesize carotenoids, they are often fed shrimp in captivity to intensify the color."

"Carotenoid pigments presumably help to protect the delicate cells of snow algae from intense solar radiation at the surface of the snow. Because of the thin layer of atmosphere for filtration, alpine snowbanks are subjected to more damaging ultraviolet radiation than at lower elevations. Cells of snow algae (and other particulate matter in snow fields) may also concentrate airborne radiation. This phenomenon was apparently discovered by a uranium prospector who inadvertently let his coffee pot go dry after melting snow in it and heard his Geiger counter nearby begin to click."

 

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1913: Some Denver Snowstorm History

Denver Snowstorm 1913 Denver Snowstorm 1913 Denver Snowstorm 1913 Denver Snowstorm 1913 Denver Snowstorm 1913 Denver Snowstorm 1913

 

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Links:

  1. 12ers
  2. 13ers
  3. 14ers
  4. AIARE - The American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education
  5. Alpine Resuce Team - Evergreen, Colorado
  6. American Avalanche Association
  7. Antarctica
  8. Backyard Wildlife
  9. Climate Change
  10. Climbing
  11. Climbing Photos
  12. CMC Colorado Mountain Club
  13. Colorado
  1. Colorado Avalanche Information Center
  2. CORSAR - Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue Card
  3. Dear stuck in our gate
  4. Pikes Peak in the winter...
  5. Pup 'N' Taco
  6. Skiing
  7. Snow Caves and Quinzhees
  8. Survival in the backcountry
  9. Ten Essentials - Don't leave home without 'em!
  10. Travel
  11. Travel Two
  12. Walking Softly in the backcountry
  13. Waypoints

 

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