Blizzard 2011

Now that it is starting to warm up outside (a little bit), I decided it would be the perfect time to post photos from last month’s blizzard. After some banter back and forth between meteorologists, I think the storm total snowfall was 15.1″ making it the third largest snowfall total in Rockford’s recorded history. That’s a lot of snow.

I started my great snow hunt before the storm started. I went to the Rockford City Yard hoping to find snow plow preparation. However, the only action there was a maintenance man making repairs to the salt dome elevator – a lift that carries salt to the very top of the salt dome.

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR Randy Dimmel, a property maintenance repair man for the City of Rockford, makes repairs to a salt dome elevator Monday, Jan. 31, 2011,at the Rockford City Yard. ©2011

As the first flakes started to roll in, I went out to get some shots. I went up on a parking garage that is next to the river. I was hoping to get evening commuters coming across a snow-dusted bridge.

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR Evening commuters make their way west over the Jefferson Street Bridge Monday, Jan. 31, 2011, before the forecasted blizzard reaches Rockford. ©2011

Yes, that is a frozen over, mostly snow-covered river.

We had light snow for the next 24 hours or so. Slow accumulations. The heavy stuff kicked in the next night. I was off work that day so I didn’t have to fight the evening traffic in blinding snow.

The following day, by the time I went in to work, the snow had mostly stopped. However, the cleanup was just beginning.  I walked through what had to be two-to-three feet of snow on my driveway to get to my car in the garage. Ordinarily, I would have shoveled the snow to make a path for my car. But the snow shovels my landlord left in our garage were missing. So, I backed the Subaru as far back in the garage as I could and just went for it. I literally made it about an inch from getting to a snow-blown section of the driveway. I decided to shoot a little cellphone video of my attempt.

Once I finally made it out, I hit the street to look for others digging out. I started close to my house and found plenty in my neighborhood.

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR Ice clings to Jaxon Oshita's facial hair Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011, while he uses a snow blower to clear his Camp Avenue sidewalk in Rockford. Oshita said this blizzard is one of the worst snow storms he has ever seen. ©2011

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR Buried cars line Guard Street Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011, in Rockford. ©2011

As I ventured a little farther out, the scene was the same. Everyone was digging out from the Snowpocolype/Snowmageddon/SnowMG/Blizzaster… I could go on.

I accidentally turned down a road that arguably has the steepest hill in all of Rockford. I could turn this post into an ad for Subaru but I’ll just say that I made it up and over. That is where I found a guy snowblowing his driveway.

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR Andrew Lippert uses a snow blower to clear his driveway Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011, on Garrison Avenue in Rockford. ©2011

I decided to head farther north into more rural neighborhoods. I found a couple of kids building a snow fort with help from their mom. I decided to hang out with them for a while.

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR Max Caltagerone, 8, uses a shovel to widen a snow fort Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011, in front of his family's home on Ann's Acres in Rockford. ©2011

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR Mason Caltagerone, 4, places a flag on top of a snow fort Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011, in front of his family's home on Ann's Acres in Rockford. ©2011

The next day, the cleanup continued around town. I found a landscaping company using end loaders to clear out driveways in a townhouse complex.

MAX GERSH | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR Dave Stracka of the Cherry Valley Landscape Center uses a loader to clear out residential driveways Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011, on Trowbridge Lane in Rockford. ©2011

I’ve never seen so much snow in my life. I can honestly say that I got my fair share of the white stuff this season.