Tom Lake Cabin
Cabin at Tom Lake
Friday, April 30, 2010
Preparing For Summer 2010
Susan and I went up the weekend of 18 April. The weather was very nice when we arrived at about 3 P.M., nearly 42 degrees. Way to nice for sledding as pools of water were mixed into the snow, gravel was showing at the lakes edge and the parking lot was mostly bare gravel.
We loaded up the freight sled and headed to Uncle Bud's (actually Cousin Fred's now) cabin at Young's Cove on the east shore of Lake Louise. We stayed there that evening and headed out early the next morning anticipating another warm bluebird day. It was a gorgeous blue skied day in the Alaska Bush.
We pulled into Tom Lake and went straight up the trail to the cabin. There had been several small bare spots on the trail in but it was pretty spotty. The snow on the lakes was packed down on the trails so I had to keep the old water cooled Skandic off trail a lot so the soft snow would get thrown up into the intercooler by the track. I kept it out of the red this way almost all the way in. To warm even that early in the morning for a liquid cooled sled with a heavy load.
We packed a steel 15 gallon barrel with food. We had about 50 pounds or more of instant oatmeal, add hot water rice and pasta dishes, pouches of tuna, cans of chili, boxes of potatoes,coffee, tea, and electrolight dishes with peach and other flavorings, lots of individual meals and lots to fix for a small crew.There was also a lot of condiments, spices and hot sauce so a person can spice it up or not. We filled a steel chest with toilet paper, paper towels and lots of paper plates, foam and plastic cups and a bunch of plastic utensils. The final load into the cabin was about 12 gallons of potable water in 2 big blue jugs and two cases (48 bottles) of spring water. This should be enough to feed us when we 4 wheel in and dig the hole for the outhouse, build the front steps and landing, and hopefully, get the mineral paper up on the roof to get it permanently sealed. If there is time we will put up the steel roof, but that may be asking a bit much.
We loaded up the freight sled and headed to Uncle Bud's (actually Cousin Fred's now) cabin at Young's Cove on the east shore of Lake Louise. We stayed there that evening and headed out early the next morning anticipating another warm bluebird day. It was a gorgeous blue skied day in the Alaska Bush.
We pulled into Tom Lake and went straight up the trail to the cabin. There had been several small bare spots on the trail in but it was pretty spotty. The snow on the lakes was packed down on the trails so I had to keep the old water cooled Skandic off trail a lot so the soft snow would get thrown up into the intercooler by the track. I kept it out of the red this way almost all the way in. To warm even that early in the morning for a liquid cooled sled with a heavy load.
We packed a steel 15 gallon barrel with food. We had about 50 pounds or more of instant oatmeal, add hot water rice and pasta dishes, pouches of tuna, cans of chili, boxes of potatoes,coffee, tea, and electrolight dishes with peach and other flavorings, lots of individual meals and lots to fix for a small crew.There was also a lot of condiments, spices and hot sauce so a person can spice it up or not. We filled a steel chest with toilet paper, paper towels and lots of paper plates, foam and plastic cups and a bunch of plastic utensils. The final load into the cabin was about 12 gallons of potable water in 2 big blue jugs and two cases (48 bottles) of spring water. This should be enough to feed us when we 4 wheel in and dig the hole for the outhouse, build the front steps and landing, and hopefully, get the mineral paper up on the roof to get it permanently sealed. If there is time we will put up the steel roof, but that may be asking a bit much.
Tough Sledding
The week after Easter Chuck Ardizzone, Tom Kron and I took a 3 day trip to the lake. The weather was still in the minus bracket at night but did warm up during the day.
We hauled a couple dozen sheets of 7/16 OSB from under the cabin, placing it on the freight sled, then hauled it around front. Just like the trusses, we hauled them one at a time up to the top of first floor section. From there they were pulled through a hole made by pulling a 4 x 4 panel off the gable end of the second floor.
The work was brutal! I could not help much in pushing the 4 x 8 sheets up through the trusses to the top. Tom and Chuck really knocked themselves out with this job. After a day of sweating and hard physical labor the roof was sheeted except for a sheet we left off for access. I can't thank these guys enough for this difficult job. It was nerve wracking watching them walk across the sheeting with their fingers stuck through a crack on the ridge while shoving a 4 x 8 sheet along in front of them. We did not have a camera with us but you can imagine leaning out way over your center of balance with one hand grasping a cordless nail gun and the other hanging onto OSB or a truss while nailing another sheet into place. Tom and Chuck were exhausted and sore all over. I wasn't feeling much better. Then it was back to the cabin for dinner and rest.
The next morning Tom came up with the idea of taking my largest tarp and tying rope to the grommets and to a piece of scrap lumber on the other end. We did that then rolled the tarp up with the rope wound around each piece of lumber safely wrapped up into the tarp. We used scrap strips of OSB to nail the tarp to the back end of the roof and Tom carefully pulled tarp tight as he backed up on the ridge towards the front. As a board and rope came into view they rolled down the roof and dangled within arms reach so we could tie the rope off to the foundation. With only two small hang ups it worked perfectly. We tied off the tarp, cleaned up quickly and headed for home. Thanks again Chuck and Tom, I owe you guys a lot for that weekend.
We hauled a couple dozen sheets of 7/16 OSB from under the cabin, placing it on the freight sled, then hauled it around front. Just like the trusses, we hauled them one at a time up to the top of first floor section. From there they were pulled through a hole made by pulling a 4 x 4 panel off the gable end of the second floor.
The work was brutal! I could not help much in pushing the 4 x 8 sheets up through the trusses to the top. Tom and Chuck really knocked themselves out with this job. After a day of sweating and hard physical labor the roof was sheeted except for a sheet we left off for access. I can't thank these guys enough for this difficult job. It was nerve wracking watching them walk across the sheeting with their fingers stuck through a crack on the ridge while shoving a 4 x 8 sheet along in front of them. We did not have a camera with us but you can imagine leaning out way over your center of balance with one hand grasping a cordless nail gun and the other hanging onto OSB or a truss while nailing another sheet into place. Tom and Chuck were exhausted and sore all over. I wasn't feeling much better. Then it was back to the cabin for dinner and rest.
The next morning Tom came up with the idea of taking my largest tarp and tying rope to the grommets and to a piece of scrap lumber on the other end. We did that then rolled the tarp up with the rope wound around each piece of lumber safely wrapped up into the tarp. We used scrap strips of OSB to nail the tarp to the back end of the roof and Tom carefully pulled tarp tight as he backed up on the ridge towards the front. As a board and rope came into view they rolled down the roof and dangled within arms reach so we could tie the rope off to the foundation. With only two small hang ups it worked perfectly. We tied off the tarp, cleaned up quickly and headed for home. Thanks again Chuck and Tom, I owe you guys a lot for that weekend.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
The Roof is Up
The roof is finally up. Tom, Scott Eckert and myself went up to the lake first week of March. It was a little nippy at -20 but it made the freight sled pull nice on the cold snow and when the sun came out it was nice to bask in it a little as we took the first truss out of the trailer and placed it on the sled. We took just one the first trip in case we ended up with a rodeo going in. It was tight in several areas of the trail we had less than an inch of clearance for the 7 foot by 20 foot truss. With the length you had to be careful in any narrow jog in the trees or cut banks. We had a couple miles of lake then 3 1/2 miles of through the woods and across 3 small lakes then up to hill to our place. We barely skinned a couple of spruce and thought we had hung up on a small birch the fist load. It pulled right past and we got to the front of the cabin about 45 minutes after leaving Wolverine Lodge.
We Stacked the truss against some trees and headed back. We had 12 remaining so took small loads of 3 and made 4 trips. It worked quick and slick. We were down to 25 minutes to make the 6 1/2 mile one way trip. They were stacked and ready to haul up and tie to a second floor wall.
We Stacked the truss against some trees and headed back. We had 12 remaining so took small loads of 3 and made 4 trips. It worked quick and slick. We were down to 25 minutes to make the 6 1/2 mile one way trip. They were stacked and ready to haul up and tie to a second floor wall.
Friday, February 5, 2010
March 2010 Going Back to Haul in Trusses....and Make a Snowtini
The roof trusses are now parked on Lake Louise, on the ice out front of the Wolverine Lodge. The first of March, Scott Eckert, a Web Manager from Oregon, will be up to help out.We will be mixing*"snowtinis" and hauling the trusses into the cabin.
* Snowtini. This drink can only be called a Snowtini if it is mixed on or near Lake Louise.It is just a martini made with snow elsewhere. This delightful libation was invented by Scott Eckert and me at Uncle Bud Young's cabin on Young's Cove on the east side of the lake. You can make one if you have good dry snow and the temperature is about 15 degrees above or colder. Scrape off the top of the snow crust (hint: make sure it is white snow)! Scoop your shaker into the snow and pack it firmly but not solid. Add 2 ounces of Plymouth gin. Only Plymouth will work. This is a mandatory requirement. Add Willy Prat to your taste. Shake the Plymouth, Willy, and snow until the shaker gets a little icy on the outside. Pour into a crystal martini glass. Hold it up to the light and you will see ice crystals floating and sparkling in your snowtini, walk outside to see if you can look at the northern lights through your glass.
* Snowtini. This drink can only be called a Snowtini if it is mixed on or near Lake Louise.It is just a martini made with snow elsewhere. This delightful libation was invented by Scott Eckert and me at Uncle Bud Young's cabin on Young's Cove on the east side of the lake. You can make one if you have good dry snow and the temperature is about 15 degrees above or colder. Scrape off the top of the snow crust (hint: make sure it is white snow)! Scoop your shaker into the snow and pack it firmly but not solid. Add 2 ounces of Plymouth gin. Only Plymouth will work. This is a mandatory requirement. Add Willy Prat to your taste. Shake the Plymouth, Willy, and snow until the shaker gets a little icy on the outside. Pour into a crystal martini glass. Hold it up to the light and you will see ice crystals floating and sparkling in your snowtini, walk outside to see if you can look at the northern lights through your glass.
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