First winter storm

Today was our first winter storm (since I've been in camp!)
Stats:
wind speed: 80km/h
temperature: -10 (-30C with windchill)
visibility: 20m (or less)

It was getting a little windy last night before bed and by the time lights were out, the wind had really picked up! What does this mean to us little camp people? A couple of things.... The worst is the noise it causes with the tarps that are over our roofs. As it's not just a solid wind, when the gusts hit, it snaps the tarps and makes it really difficult to sleep if you are not asleep already! The second fun problem with the wind is the blowing snow! We have a really warped plywood door on our cabin (it has not been replaced yet like I thought) and this morning we woke up with a snow drift in our cabin that was up to the middle of my shins! I had two pairs of shoes by the door that were completely buried! Not to mention the difficulty in just walking between buildings with the snow blowing and you unable to see much! Plus the wind moves around all the snow and creates new snow banks so you are tripping and stumbling around! Fun fun!

The next adventure began when we wanted to get out of the cabin this morning, pushing aside the whole snowdrift. Then I thought I'd be clever and sweep the snow out...in doing so I couldn't get the damn door closed because during the sweeping, the snow melted and then refroze against the door frame making it impossible to close the door and latch it! All the while, struggling with this crappy door, the wind is gusting and pushing the little ice needles (aka blowing snow) into your face and eyes. I got completely soaked working on the door this morning. My cabin mate, Shadi fought with the door too for almost an hour to get the darn thing closed! We had to chip the ice away with a chisel and sweep the shards away in time to jump out of the cabin and pull the door shut to latch before too much blowing snow accumulated.

Next adventure of the day, the drilling foreman Gabi, comes over the radio panicked saying his cabin was on fire! Somehow their diesel stove had become flooded, someone lit a match and left the cabin thinking the stove was okay and the diesel leaked onto the floor and caught on fire! Thank god Gabi went back for something or they could have lost the whole cabin and maybe others. Very close call!

Hmmm...what else will be fun today??? I tell you, the adventure never ends while in Goose Lake!