Moving Snow

This climate can seem pretty snowy, especially to friends who live in warmer, milder, shorter winter season climates. In fact this is not a very wet climate (annual precipitation averaging below/around 500mm, with significant variation) and our snowfall is not that great. What we do have is a long season with nights below freezing, and the sun at a low angle for winter. What all this means is that, even though we have regular warm-ups, snow settling and even melting, we are rarely snow free for a season lasting 4-6 months.

View from the front of the house, shovelled snow and buried rock gardens Feb 2018

By this I mean there is snow on the ground, whether it covers nearly all the soil, or whether there may be significant areas with little or now snow (areas under some trees, certain kinds of woodland, etc) and other areas where the snow is still relatively deep (low areas /wetlands always have the deepest snow). So by that definition, in most recent years we've had snow from the end of October/ beginning of November through much of April, with patches into May. Snowfalls requiring shovelling can occur from September through the end of May.

Shovelled path on the acreage from the bush toward the house

But, all that said, most of our snowfalls are no more than 10-15cm/4-6inches, with 20-30cm over a day or two a couple of times a year, and often much less. As well, most of our snowfalls are light, dry  fluffy snow, not the heavy stuff common in warmer wetter climates. Thank goodness, since on the acreage, we shovel a large area of driveway and paths (an amount that most of our neighbours would be using tractors or bobcats etc to clear). On rare occasions when we have had wet or deep snow, we've nearly killed ourselves shovelling it... A typical snowfall of a few inches takes us a 2-3  person-hours to shovel, and we go at a pretty good clip.
Below is a short vid of me finishing up some shovelling after a  couple of inches a few days ago

This winter has had below average snowfall, but in February we are starting to catch up, more than usual for this month, the piles are starting to get up there....

Part of the driveway; the large pile to the right is around 7 feet high and much wider.. usually some snow there until May

Old sheds/barns on the acreage; Feb 2018; a path goes around this way to the compost, and this year we are dragging firewood around this way after the 'icequake' interrupted the route in front

View in front again; Feb 2018

Another part of the driveway; Feb 2018; a dryish spot under a big spruce

More driveway and shed; Feb 2018; this area is problematic come melt time, so I try to throw the snow as far as possible under the trees.... strength/endurance limitations apply!