By Joe Crain
The final vestigial snow pile in camp
I’m very happy to report that the weather finally turned to more spring like conditions at the start of May. Still, it took most of the first two weeks of the month to melt off the huge snow piles that had accumulated through the long winter. As it turns out we had the most ever recorded snow fall in our region, so what seemed like ridiculous amounts of snow this winter were actually that and not just an “it seems like.” The official total out of the Duluth National Weather service station was 136 inches!! The annual average there is 79 inches. The area known as the “Snow Belt of the South Shore,” near Ironwood, Michigan, hit a total of 168 inches, which seems like a lot but was actually shy of their annual average of 173 inches. Some here in the Lake Nebagamon area had unofficial amounts measured at around 150 inches, and “it seemed like” that was the case. The persistent snow delayed the spring grounds blowing by about two weeks; we normally start spring blowing the day our seasonal caretaker starts in mid-April, but this year we had to hold off until May 1st. Even then, we had to blow around several persistent snow piles here and there. The spring blowing was also greatly affected by all of the tree limbs that the record-breaking snow brought down. A job that normally takes two caretakers about four to five days to accomplish was stretched to nine days for three guys to finish. We roused Alex Fuller, an annual kitchen crew member that many of you know well, to come help out for a couple weeks. Alex and another annual kitchen crew member you all know well (and current seasonal Caretaker) Cody Keys cleared the downed limbs ahead of me as I came along with the blower clearing the grounds of the usual winter’s accumulation of detritus, plus all of the small limb bits that were left behind as they cut up and hauled the downed limbs off. After we finished, all of the grounds looked very good! It was not as satisfying as most spring clean ups because of the small piles of debris that were left when the snow piles we had to bypass melted. We decided we would put that bit of clean up on the pre-camp crew’s list – after nine days of blowing and tree limb clearing, we had had enough!
I’m also glad I can report that camp is hosting at least two active fox dens again this spring. The vixen that maintains the den in the hill behind the target shooting range had a three-kit litter. I was delighted to get to watch those little buggers at play several times as I was passing by. The second active den was on the County Road B hillside of the Upper Diamond. I was thrilled on two different occasions to see that vixen trotting down the side of the County Road B with a squirrel in her mouth headed to her den and kits.
Things have really been hopping around the grounds now that the road restrictions have come off the local roads. We had a new strip of asphalt installed on the road behind the Rec Hall as well as new asphalt installed in the Swamper Village. The four-square games will be much less prone to odd bounces this year, and all the participants will have to rely on skill instead of a stray bump for the win! At about the same time the local roofing contractor showed up to reroof Logger 7, Range Cabin Fir, Target Shooting, and Kozy Corner. The work is moving along quick and as of yesterday, he had only L-7 left. I was out to all of the Jops and installed new forced air hand dryers, so now you have a choice other than your pants leg to dry your hands when you forget your towel! Just yesterday a big trailer pulled in and delivered six new sailboats to the waterfront, Associate Director Louis Levin reported that the new boats, which will replace the well-loved Barnett 1400 sailboats, are sweet easy-riggers that the kids are going to love. The Rec Hall kitchen also got a bit of a face lift as well; the old unused phone booth was removed at the north end of the Bread Room, increasing the usable space by about 10 square feet. It doesn’t sound like much but increases the work area in the room a lot. We installed white pebble board on the walls and a new prep station in there and the results will defiantly be enjoyed by the Kitchen crew, it’s really bright and spacious.
Anxiously awaiting the joy and merriment that comes with “The Boys,” it’s Caretaker Joe At Camp.
