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Tips on preserving snow

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malux94
Posts: 232 - Karma: 25
Hey guys,

last week I started piling up snow where i live, basically every time it snows i just shovel the surrounding snow to the middle and press it. Now, my aim is to save some of it as long as I can. I don't know if I'll make it, but I want it to last until may so I can hit a couple of rails until then.

now, my question is: what's the best way to avoid it from melting? my Idea was to cover it whenever it's above 0 or raining, with some kind of either transparent or white tarpaulin, kinda like they do on some glaciers in summer. do any of you have experience with that? is it gonna work? I'm also trying to find better ways to collect it
Feb 4 2013 3:19PM
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theschneidler
Posts: 2099 - Karma: 355
White tarp would be best, black basically makes it hotter, so that's really your only option.
Feb 4 2013 3:20PM
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FroesenSkeeze
Posts: 638 - Karma: 673
I cannot imagine living in a place where there is that little snow. How warm are your winters normally?
Feb 4 2013 3:24PM
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malux94
Posts: 232 - Karma: 25
I never said I get little snow, I already got 3 meters of snowfall this season (switzerland, 1,000m a.s.l)
The issue is making it last until after the end of march, when it usually melts
Feb 4 2013 3:30PM
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Bock
Posts: 748 - Karma: 1,652
Our total snowfall in PA this year is 7 inches. got some sweet pow skiing in.
Feb 4 2013 3:56PM
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Suusataja
Posts: 314 - Karma: 1,113
Cover the snowpile with 50 cm of saw dust/chipping. Then you can keep the snow as long as you like with minimal melting.
Feb 4 2013 3:58PM
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FroesenSkeeze
Posts: 638 - Karma: 673
oooooh, ya makes sense. My advice to you would be to take up biking as well. Seasons for reasons. Downhill mountain biking is unreal, and I can imagine it would be pretty good in Switzerland.
Feb 4 2013 4:01PM
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Naptown
Posts: 495 - Karma: 1,722
In Maryland we have gotten a total of like 3 inches. I go to PA to ski, all man made no fresh... missing Utah.
Feb 4 2013 4:11PM
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Drail
Posts: 14012 - Karma: 10,010
They are expensive, but silvicool tarps are the best possible option.

http://www.bushpro.ca/index.php?page_id=1004

We use them in the silviculture industry (tree planting) to put over our trees to keep them cool in the heat of the summer.

If you actually invest in a silvicool tarp it will keep your snow from melting well into summer (seriously).
Feb 4 2013 4:41PM
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~Gotama~
Posts: 821 - Karma: 3,160
i would think a layer of insulation covered with space blankets would be pretty effective. maybe using the yellow stuff from the walls of your house, or even just some old blankets would help insulate it and keep the cold on the inside.
Feb 4 2013 4:52PM
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I_liketobutter
Posts: 2664 - Karma: 997
You may already know this, but if you can accumulate any extra snow, it will last much longer in a pile than it will spread out.
Feb 4 2013 5:07PM
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Pickles.
Posts: 63 - Karma: 61
I feel your pain
Feb 4 2013 6:11PM
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freestyler540
Posts: 13083 - Karma: 18,720
Put all your snow in the shade. This will keep solar radiation off. A tarp is nice, but it still traps heat. I recommend a layer of saw chips. This will create a layer of crush that will resist the melt. The saw chips may sink into the snow, losing the sliding property.
Feb 4 2013 8:09PM
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FatWhore
Posts: 2213 - Karma: 1,098
put it in a freezer, or just go to a local indoor hockey rink and take the snow from there.
Feb 4 2013 8:15PM
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513
Posts: 31 - Karma: 25
yeah i live in the mid west and we've gotten about 4 inches in the last two years....
Feb 4 2013 8:16PM
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FatWhore
Posts: 2213 - Karma: 1,098
where?
Feb 4 2013 8:26PM
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Hammyslapwagon
Posts: 1261 - Karma: 1,409
..........it sucks.
Feb 4 2013 8:30PM
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FatWhore
Posts: 2213 - Karma: 1,098
It sucks to remember the winters when you used to get 12 inchs a day and have alot of snow piled up at the end of winter. This winter and last winter in lower wisconsin we hardly got enough snow to cover the grass, this year is even worse. We just got a decent amount this week for the first time, and thats only like 5-6 inchs over a weeks time.
Feb 4 2013 8:36PM
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FatWhore
Posts: 2213 - Karma: 1,098
It sucks to remember the winters when you used to get 12 inchs a day and have alot of snow piled up at the end of winter. This winter and last winter in lower wisconsin we hardly got enough snow to cover the grass, this year is even worse. We just got a decent amount this week for the first time, and thats only like 5-6 inchs over a weeks time.
Feb 4 2013 8:36PM
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Kimmler
Posts: 1316 - Karma: 623
Use Hay! like straw. and then put a tarp over it. Hay is an excellent insulator, and the tarp will keep the rain out. once you need to use the snow just remove the hay and you're good to go
Feb 4 2013 9:03PM
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