Have you ever been snowed in?

[1AngelicFruitCake]

Inspired by this article
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10250997/UK-set-snow-freezing-conditions.html

Have you ever been snowed in either at home or somewhere else and what did you do? I have a daydream about being snowed in on a train journey and where you would sleep🤔

In 2010 we were snowed in (daytime temperature was -14). We still had power and plenty of food, so were ok.
Around 1977, we were properly snowed in and the nearest supermarket was miles away. DBro worked on a farm at the time, so we went to the supermarket with his boss's tractor. We got a few looks as we pulled up on the car park!
Luckily because the supermarket was in a town we could get everything we needed.

I grew up in a village whose only road had a steep hill at both extremities. We regularly got stuck in the 1970s and 80s because the road was never gritted. Eventually the council installed a grit bin, so our carefree days of snowball fights and hot soup came to an end, and we had to go back to school.

Got snowed in regularly in the village I used to live in, and having moved further north a few years ago, it’s happening again.
Fortunately I have a gas job and a gas fire.
Last house always had a camping stove handy.

Gas hob!

When I was a kid we got snowed in a lot. Lived very rurally, over 1 mile down a dirt track. I think it was 1984 we were snowed in for 3 weeks, 10 days off that with no electricity.

It often happened as a child in Yorkshire. We had to help dig out then we were sent to help our elderly neighbours and clear their paths .

Yes, once on a winter uk holiday, when I was pregnant and very sick. I stayed in bed mostly, and when we left a farmer dug us out with his tractor.

Winter of 1980/81. In the Midlands. School was shut for a whole week (thank god..as it was a 2 mile walk away) and I can still remember the beautiful silence of no cars, no people.
I was 13 and built an igloo with my best friend!

Less fun was DD2 and her boyfriend being stuck on the M5 trying to get back to Oxford from Plymouth... huge snow storm, cars crashing all over and Lorries unable to get up hills meant a hideous night on the motorway trying to help others and stay warm. Boyfriend (now dh) is an Type 1 diabetic and they had limited insulin and no food!

Yes. We live in a rural hamlet but on a busy minor A road. One year we woke up to a foot of snow and the road was covered. Its hilly and bendy and there is a proper major a road bypass near us so it doesnt have to be cleared. We was all stuck for three days.

A few years ago it showed during the day and about 15 cars was stuck in their cars on the hill just up from us.

I love getting snowed in. It never lasts more than a few days

We got snowed in while staying in a run-down cottage in Scotland ... and then the power went off, and stayed off all night. The cottage had no insulation, and very soon it was so cold that I couldn't really believe it - I had no idea it could actually get so cold inside a house. I was starting to wonder if it was dangerous. I went to bed in as many clothes as it was possible to put on, and I was still absolutely freezing. Luckily, we managed to get away the next day.

... mind you, it looked quite pretty

All the time where I live. Only time it was a problem was the night I broke my arm. Whisky and a bandage roll really aren’t a substitute for a trip to a&e.

Kind of.

I lived in a house that was a half mile away from any other down a windy country hill lane. The first winter was harsh and there was a week or so of snow when the lane was too slippy for a car though I could walk to the village for supplies.

The power went out for 48 hours in the middle of that. Luckily the lounge had a log burner and I had wood stock in. I kept that lit and slept in the lounge. It had a shelf above the fire that I could hear a saucepan on for soup etc.

It was quite romantic really. Just me, and old cottage and views of snowy landscapes out of every window...

Not that I can remember since I've lived in Maine. The snowploughs just keep going round and round all the roads, and all the private plough companies are out endlessly clearing driveways and carparks. If you need to get out you generally can do.

Usually the hardest bit is just getting to the end of your driveway. If our private snowplough guy hasn't come yet and we really need to get out then we push the snowblower down the driveway, shovel the snow away from around the vehicles, then take the truck. Often the hardest bit is getting over the snowbank at the end of the driveway caused by ploughs pushing snow to the road sides.

They do sensible things like close the schools and have people WFH as much as possible so that those who do really need to get places can do.

I remember snowstorm Nemo they didn't close the Maine Turnpike, but they did stop each driver to let them know that if they got stuck they might have a long wait for the snowploughs.

We were all back out as normal the following morning.

Parking was a bit difficult in the city as the snowbanks on the sides of the roads were 6-8' high, but they brought out a load of dump trucks and equipment and moved it all a couple of days later.

I remember you couldn't actually pay for parking because there was about 2-3' of snow in front of the parking meters.

I love this thread -so lovely to see one that is lighthearted!

Not to the extent you imagine when you think of being snowed in.
But a few years ago we had a snowfall in the village I was living in, had about 1.5 feet of snow. That was enough, I couldn't dig the car out and none of the roads in or out of the village were driveable. So I rang work and told them I was snowed in.

I was dating a guy in Austria and we went to his family’s chalet in the Tirol region. I was supposed to meet his family for the first time. They were rather formal people and I was pretty nervous to be meeting them while staying on their turf rather than just on an evening out or at an event. “Unfortunately” there was a freak storm and the roads were cut. We had heaps of food and alcohol, lots of blankets and a large open fireplace. Terrible shame we couldn’t leave the place for the entire weekend. ❄️🤩❄️🤩❄️

One of my favourite local snow stories. We don't get snowed in, but the snow still causes all sorts of problems.

In Frozen Maine, Portland's Snow Dump Is Reaching FAA Height Limits

www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-19/in-portland-maine-the-city-s-main-snow-dump-is-so-tall-it-could-break-federal-aviation-administration-limits

Yes about 35 years ago, was nursing at the time and snowed in at work.

Yes, me and an ex were staying in a cottage in North Yorkshire, we were snowed in as the road wasn’t passable, but we could physically leave the cottage. It had a proper hot tub (where you burn wood), so we had a lovely two days of just relaxing and not having to please anyone else.

Twice..once in the uk maybe 87? I was snowed in at boarding school in Norfolk. No teachers could make it to school, so they sat us down in front of the tv and we watched films for a.couple.of.days. that was fun, but then fresh food ran out so they started giving us powdered.eggs and milk 🤢🤮. The second time I was snowed in, we were staying in a small village in Cyprus. First the snow came down really heavily (not something that happens terribly often) and the road to the village was unpassable, then the electricity went, but we still had a gas fire and logs for the fireplace, then the gas ran out. I can remember at one point wearing many layers, lying in a bed in the front room in front of a roaring fire, and in the bed beside me where my brother, sister and mother! We were all adults at the time. On the third day we got some help to dig out the car and slowly inched our way down the road into the main town as my sister and brother were supposed to be flying out. As another poster said, both exciting and terrifying by turns!

Yes my family were snowed in as a child at home. Huge snow drifts, no chance of going anywhere. Luckily we grew lots of our own food so had reserves in our freezer and bought items like powdered milk.

A few times, but only for a day or so. Live in a high village, it’s often raining where I work, but snowing in the village.
The village is always last on the list of roads to be cleared, but at least it’s on the list due to having a small primary school.
A couple of times the snow plow has got stuck or tipped over. No shops within walking distance.

My very first holiday with my now DH was very close to that pub. We got snowed in and had to stay a couple of extra nights.

@MrsJackWhicher

I love this thread -so lovely to see one that is lighthearted!

I’ve really enjoyed all of these stories. I think about being snowed in whenever it snows so I love hearing the details.

Where I live is quite hilly but we’d be expected to get to work unless it was really bad. I remember when my children were 1 and 3, putting all their snow gear on and walking half a mile with them to the nursery as my car couldn’t get further. Even as I was struggling to carry my 1 year old and hold up my 3 year old as it was quite deep, I remember thinking ‘I’ll never forget this’ 😊 and I still look back and smile to myself.

Snowed in as can't get the car out, schools closed, no public transport running & so have to walk / ski to the shops 3 miles away - frequently. This is a nice excuse to have a lovely day on the hills.

Snowed in as can't move outside the house for a day or longer - a couple of times. Ice is more of an issue than snow which can be moved out of the way. This is not fun - normally the heating, electric and water all go off at the same time.