Snow in Sanpete

Snow so far this season is about average as it goes. I am not getting out much, but this SNOTEL plot from the Mammoth-Cottonwood site up Fairview Canyon shows the story for so far this year. The dark blue line traces Snow Water Equivalent, which is very near but just below the ten-year average, probably because it has been warmer than normal on the Skyline so far. The Total Precipitation, the dark red line, shows well ahead of the ten-year average, shown by the yellow. So our water year is off to the very best of starts.

The snow pack is not as deep as in some years, because the melt rate has been higher due to warmer temps, but the water is there, to water crops and gardens next spring.

And to make the wildflowers blossom.


This specimen is Palmer's Penstemen (Penstemen palmeri) BTW. It is a common but sparse resident of Sanpete County in late spring and early summer at elevations ranging from 3000 to 6000 feet at roadside waste place with little extra water and dry sandy soil.

White Christmas!

Lots of new snow falling in this locale.

Mammoth-Cottonwood is the nearest official measuring station, near the top of Fairview Canyon. It reflects about how much snow is on the ground now at Snail Hollow, although I believe our drifted accumulation is a bit more.

I have had plenty of work clearing off driveways and walkways. The new ATV mounted plow has had a pretty good trial, and passed with flying colors.

I can manage most of the functions of operating the ATV pretty well. I have trouble with the transmission shifter at times, but can manhandle it with both hands, when needed. Sometimes the plow blade is difficult to swivel, but I have managed to minimize that operation, after encountering some bit of trouble with it. All in all, a very satisfying operation that went quite smoothly. I was even able to help extricate a stuck vehicle, after some bit of work.

Let it snow!