The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-04-17
WINTER IN THE slERRAs.
Twenty Foot OF Snow-Drlfts Higher Than
the Houses.

Twenty Foot OF Snow-DrIfts Higher Than
the Houses.
Julian Ralph, writing In Harpcrs
Weekly, thus recounts some of his re-
cent experiences in tho snow regions of
the Sierras:
Tired of the cars, which were then
tied up ut Emigrant Gap, 1 left them
under great snowshed, and plunged
down steep hillside into the village
below, which was but family indicated
by few chiinneys that here and there
broke through the beautiful undulating
blanket that lay high and thick upon
the mountains, the knobs and valleys
all around me. The trees, numbered
with deep white snow upon every pro-
lection, rested their middle branches
upon the soft bedding of snow, so that
they looked dwarfcd and misshapen.
In places great granite powders sat in
hollow wells scooped out by the wind,
and on the tops Of such stones rested
nightcaps of snow that were taller
than the rocks themselves. Drifts rose
In cork-screw shapes that ended in fan
tastic curls upon their tops. The way
TO some of the houses was by tunnels,
but looking straight down from above
them there could only be seen u little
white-walled shaft opposite the door,
rs II hole had been dug there to let in
breath to the people indoors. The
snow had banked against the houses
up to the roof-linc, and then had
mounted upon itself and grown in
weight and depth until there was dan
ger that the roofs would be crushed in.
That was why saw men on Norwegian
snow-shocs walking over their own
roofs and stopping there to shovel snow
into battlemented walls beside them.
Thus they walled their houses in each
day, only to find them submerged on
the morrow, Us the snow continued to
fall.
My short walk TO the nearest tavern
was chain of lively adventures. Snfe
inside the tavern door, saw row of
Norwegian snowshoes dripping against
the wall. ! found that upon them the
villagers travel in the winter, and that
without them they would be Jailed in
their homes. Canadian network shoes
would not serve. The snow Is too fine
and dry. Therefore tho shoe in use Is u
board four inches wide and from nine
to dozen feet long. Tho women 90
shopping and visiting upon them. The
NONSOAo VI afSl O"Slty-hV0 miles at q
time upon them ON their rounds. Tho
girls coast upon the roofs and smaller
knobs upon them The venturesome
young men actually raoa down the
mountain SIDES upon them ut twenty
miles Nh hour, and even jump ravin@s
and lcop over cabins and houses with
these shoes In the course of their wegcrs
and tn cir dangerous fun.
That and nightly dances IN the snow
bound villages IRE all the fun the peo-
pie get. There Is too much winter In
tho Sierras for carnival frolics such rs
ara had in Canada. Winter on these
California terraces Is too severe to be
trified with or turned into tho basis of q
long roll of sports. In the larger towns
the people dig tunnels from house to
house and house to store, and at one
station went into supper by way of u
tunnel from the cars to the depot reetau-
rant saw no horses or sleighs, but I
was told TINT when the snow depths
cease to deepen and the trails are
pressed bard down, horses arc often
used. When they step aside from the
trails and sink Ill but out of sight. their
owners find that they tire of struggling
nnd desire TO resign themselves to
death. Then the plan is to choke them
with slip-noose around their neclzs
when they fight so franticauy for
breath that they can be led back to the
trail. 1t sometimes happens thet q
horse thot sinks beside the trail slips
down through the SHOW upon the roof
OF buried house Then there is great
danger that he will continue downward
through the shingles and into some
ones parlor or bedroom
In nll the Unitod States there is no
other winter and no other snowfall like
this Five years ago it lay twenty
three feet on the level in these noun
tains