The crew at Shenandoah River State Park has got to be looking forward to spring! After recently coping with clean-up from the flooded river with help from their Friends group, park staff was just beginning to get things back to normal.
Then Mother Nature delivered another surprise. Let's just say it’s been quite an unusual winter for the staff and volunteers at Shenandoah River State Park. While the northern Virginia Park nestled between the Massanutten Mountains to the west and the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east is used to snowfall in the winter, they’ve never seen anything like this!
Washington’s famous “Snowmageddon” February 12th and 13th dropped over 30 inches on top of snow left behind from a system earlier in the week. Snowmageddon Part 2 later in the week left another 6” or so for the hardworking crew to clean-up.
During the “big one” the park lost power for over three days. This includes power to the residence of the Park Manager, Tony Widmer and his two sons Josh and Ben. The family found themselves literally snowed in at the park and cut off from the outside world. That’s when they set to work. Josh and Ben logged many volunteer hours working with their dad and using the park’s equipment to begin clearing the roads.
The family worked tirelessly to clear the way for employees to get to work and reopen the park. Josh and Ben even recruited another friend, Kenny Burke to help with the effort. Then instead of a hot shower at the end of the day they were roughing it without power at home. Tony says it wasn’t all that bad though they even cooked eggs and bacon on a cast iron skillet in the fireplace and I’m sure they had worked up an appetite.
VDOT showed up at the park on Tuesday and assisted with clearing the main roads. By Friday afternoon the park was reopened to the public. While its probably not a time I'd enjoy mountain camping in Virginia. Tony says there have been a few cross country skier out to enjoy the unique Northern Virginia outdoors opportunity provided by the back to back snowfalls.
See Related post Rivers Flood
Then Mother Nature delivered another surprise. Let's just say it’s been quite an unusual winter for the staff and volunteers at Shenandoah River State Park. While the northern Virginia Park nestled between the Massanutten Mountains to the west and the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east is used to snowfall in the winter, they’ve never seen anything like this!
Washington’s famous “Snowmageddon” February 12th and 13th dropped over 30 inches on top of snow left behind from a system earlier in the week. Snowmageddon Part 2 later in the week left another 6” or so for the hardworking crew to clean-up.
During the “big one” the park lost power for over three days. This includes power to the residence of the Park Manager, Tony Widmer and his two sons Josh and Ben. The family found themselves literally snowed in at the park and cut off from the outside world. That’s when they set to work. Josh and Ben logged many volunteer hours working with their dad and using the park’s equipment to begin clearing the roads.
The family worked tirelessly to clear the way for employees to get to work and reopen the park. Josh and Ben even recruited another friend, Kenny Burke to help with the effort. Then instead of a hot shower at the end of the day they were roughing it without power at home. Tony says it wasn’t all that bad though they even cooked eggs and bacon on a cast iron skillet in the fireplace and I’m sure they had worked up an appetite.
VDOT showed up at the park on Tuesday and assisted with clearing the main roads. By Friday afternoon the park was reopened to the public. While its probably not a time I'd enjoy mountain camping in Virginia. Tony says there have been a few cross country skier out to enjoy the unique Northern Virginia outdoors opportunity provided by the back to back snowfalls.
See Related post Rivers Flood
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