We left Camp Cougar on December 28 and returned on February 17, after more than a month in Antarctica and two and a half weeks in New Zealand. I was surprised to learn that during that time the Santa Cruz Mountains had been pummeled with numerous atmospheric rivers and high winds.
When we arrived to our property, the driveway was blocked with a fallen trees. After removing that, we saw other trees that lost huge limbs, and two large trees that would have been on the ground if it weren't for other trees holding them up. (Within a few days, one of the trees fell, as shown in the image.)
The day after we arrived, it was time to do errands. I had to restock because the January weather caused a few power outages, leaving the freezer and most of the refrigerator contents inedible. While I was shopping, Glen phoned to tell me that is car made sloshing sounds all down the hill and the Check Engine light was on. He took to the dealer for diagnosis. I picked him up. Then I noticed mouse droppings in my car. I opened the glove compartment to discover a mouse nest and then realized there were mouse droppings and pee throughout the entire car, including the trunk. YUK!
The next day the snows hit, leaving more than a foot. With Glen's car in the shop and the snow too deep for the Prius, we were snowed in. The weather caused extensive slides in the area, taking out power poles, so an eight-day power outage began. After six days of wood here, snow bank refrigeration, battery-operated lights, and gas stove cooking, we decided it was time to leave. The wood supply was low because so must had been inundated with water during January.
We couldn't drive out of our property because the snow was too deep. I arranged for someone to pick us up on the closest, plowed road. We hiked out and made our escape. The route was circuitous because both Black Road and Highway 9 were closed. Bear Creek worked for a bit, but was closed such that we had to go past Zayante and up to Summit before being able to get o the highway.
We arrived in the valley were the weather was much milder. It was difficult to imaging the snow conditions in the mountains.
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