Patrick
Well-known member
What a Winter!!!
I can just hear some people at work cursing. :lol:
CBC News
I was looking at this storm coming and there were many questionmarks about it. Possible freezing rain, ice pellets? I was also thinking maybe driving up to Tremblant, however I had my Wednesday race schedule and I had missed the last 3 races. There was also the fact that the storm was going to hit us before the Laurentians.
Woke up in the morning looked like we had received 20cm maybe more. Hard to say with the snow drifts. I wasn't feeling too well, but with all this snow, there was no way I wasn't going to take advantage of it. Then I got an email saying the race for the night was cancelled.
So I took my time, there was no way I was going to leave during rush hour. It was chaos on the street plus the sidestreets haven't been plowed yet. I went outside to clear the snow from the garage door in the uncleared laneway.To do so I had to walk in knee deep snow to get to the garage. Once the car was out, I had to drive backwards because someone car was stuck at the other end. At the end of my street, someone got stuck and I needed my momentum to make it to corner. Try to go by him in the snowbank, but also got stuck. I got out and pushed him out of the way, after that I was able to manoeuvre back on the street and past the corner slightly cleared street. Lucky I had brought my shovel. I'm not sure how long it took me to drive the 45km (27miles) to Edelweiss. Definitely needed some good Winter driving skills.
The actual ski conditions:
I arrived at around noon. Snow report mentioned 25cm. I was surprised that the parking lot was so empty, this was being Quebec School Break. Only the HSQ was running. The snow surface included a nice of sugary snow. Headed for the expert runs and fresh tracks as they required a bit of a push to get to even in normal days when it's hardpack. It was still far from being tracked out, the new snow was dense and you didn't touch the hard icy base. Ended up going 27 laps mostly 3 trails all afternoon. I did a few runs on Tommy Pic, TopShot and the trees between them, but I was finding the snow better and less tracks on the large Strief/Olympic or under the old double chair. It's snowed until maybe 2-3pm then the sun came out.
Truly a magic day. Powder day at Edelweiss, you would have thought?
I can just hear some people at work cursing. :lol:
CBC News
It's officially Ottawa's 2nd heaviest snowfall on record
Heavy snow forces final closing of canal skating rink
Last Updated: Wednesday, March 5, 2008 | 4:38 PM ET
CBC News
After more than 20 centimetres of snow fell Tuesday night and Wednesday, it's officially Ottawa's second snowiest winter on record, with 345 cm so far. Environment Canada is predicting another snowstorm on Saturday.
The all-time record for snowfall was 444.1 centimetres in 1971, so Ottawa needs less than 100 centimetres for the record.
The snow caused major problems for commuters, with Ontario Provincial Police reporting about 150 accidents since 5 a.m., most of them minor, with no major injuries. City police dealt with more than 25 minor accidents.
OC Transpo said several buses broke down and had to be towed. At one point, five buses were stuck along a stretch of Kent Street near Somerset Street.
The heavy snowfall also forced the final closing of Rideau Canal skating rink.
The National Capital Commission blamed a combination of mild temperatures and heavy snow.
NCC spokeswoman Kathryn Keyes said it's harder for the ice to recover from mild weather at this time of year.
Ottawa sent out an estimated 600 snow-removal vehicles overnight and Wednesday morning.
"The snow should end late in the afternoon or early evening, and clear right out," said Mitch Meredith of Environment Canada.
Meredith is already tracking another storm on the east coast of the U.S. that could hit eastern Ontario on Saturday afternoon.
That storm would be all snow, with no rain or ice pellets, he said.
I was looking at this storm coming and there were many questionmarks about it. Possible freezing rain, ice pellets? I was also thinking maybe driving up to Tremblant, however I had my Wednesday race schedule and I had missed the last 3 races. There was also the fact that the storm was going to hit us before the Laurentians.
Woke up in the morning looked like we had received 20cm maybe more. Hard to say with the snow drifts. I wasn't feeling too well, but with all this snow, there was no way I wasn't going to take advantage of it. Then I got an email saying the race for the night was cancelled.
Environment Canada says:
Ottawa North - Kanata - Orléans
5:00 AM EST Wednesday 5 March 2008
Winter storm warning for
Ottawa North - Kanata - Orléans continued
..A mixed bag of wintry precipitation today..
This is a warning that dangerous winter weather conditions are imminent or occurring in these regions. Monitor weather conditions..Listen for updated statements.
Best for everyone to cancel.
So I took my time, there was no way I was going to leave during rush hour. It was chaos on the street plus the sidestreets haven't been plowed yet. I went outside to clear the snow from the garage door in the uncleared laneway.To do so I had to walk in knee deep snow to get to the garage. Once the car was out, I had to drive backwards because someone car was stuck at the other end. At the end of my street, someone got stuck and I needed my momentum to make it to corner. Try to go by him in the snowbank, but also got stuck. I got out and pushed him out of the way, after that I was able to manoeuvre back on the street and past the corner slightly cleared street. Lucky I had brought my shovel. I'm not sure how long it took me to drive the 45km (27miles) to Edelweiss. Definitely needed some good Winter driving skills.
The actual ski conditions:
I arrived at around noon. Snow report mentioned 25cm. I was surprised that the parking lot was so empty, this was being Quebec School Break. Only the HSQ was running. The snow surface included a nice of sugary snow. Headed for the expert runs and fresh tracks as they required a bit of a push to get to even in normal days when it's hardpack. It was still far from being tracked out, the new snow was dense and you didn't touch the hard icy base. Ended up going 27 laps mostly 3 trails all afternoon. I did a few runs on Tommy Pic, TopShot and the trees between them, but I was finding the snow better and less tracks on the large Strief/Olympic or under the old double chair. It's snowed until maybe 2-3pm then the sun came out.
Truly a magic day. Powder day at Edelweiss, you would have thought?