The rapid snow melt that began about a month ago continued during the two weeks I was out of the country getting bitten by mosquitos. Knowing the road was drivable all the way to the cabin, I loaded up my trusty SUV on Saturday morning with all the plumbing supplies and railing fittings ordered over the winter.
The Yodelin entrance where we rescued our snowmobile
under 6 feet of snow just a few short months ago.
No problem getting up to the cabin, and it was in fine shape.
I arrived about 10:00 AM and had a little less than 4 hours to work on the railing. We've gone 2 years with the perilous perch on the front porch and back deck. Aside from one cantanchorous bolt that I had trouble drilling the hole for and tightening due to its proximity to the staircase, the Key Klamp fittings went in surprisingly easily with stainless steel bolts and washers. The 96-tooth saw blade I bought a few weeks ago cut through the black anodized alumnium railing like butter.
I estimate only another day of work required to complete the railing on the front porch and back deck, and then probably two days to drill the holes and run the cabling horizontally between the posts. I will wait to install the stainless steel cabling with turnbuckles either when we start to entertain toddlers at the Haus or the building inspector calls me out.
For good measure, here's Olaf's Snow Tracker showing how this snow season stacked up to the previous five. I'd call it "a compressed average": A late start with good snowfall and an early end.
