Dining room window broken all winter

Circa 2003

One winter afternoon, as we were working in the office which is in the lodge, we heard a huge noise of an avalanche of snow coming off the roof. It was loud. So, we looked around the lodge to be sure everything was ok. It was not ok. In the dining room, the window next to the spring water faucet was completely broken in with glass and huge chunks of ice on the counter and the floor. The avalanche was snow and large blocks of ice that released off the roof. As it hit the large pile of snow outside, the ice blocks fell into the window and destroyed it.

Outside this window, where the bird feeders are, two roof pitches come together. During heavy snow winters, the pile of snow here can easily get 10 feet high. It is higher than the lodge window. That was the case this winter. A huge amount of snow was against the wall and the window. We could not get down to the window to remove it and replace it. So, we took a sheet of plywood and gently slide it down the outside of the window and against the outside wall. At the top of the plywood, we were able to get some screws in the log wall to secure the plywood. Then, we shoveled a bit of snow against the bottom of the plywood. It was secure for the winter. A little dark in the room but secure for the winter.

In late April or May, we replaced the broken glass. The power of falling snow and ice is a big deal. But, it was a beautiful snowy winter at Sonlight Camp.