When the clouds lifted off the mountains and we finally said goodbye to this last storm front, not only were we soaking wet from a LOT of rain, but our mountain peaks got their first visible snowfall. Snow. Since we’ve only just said goodbye to a couple weeks of rather warm weather, it’s difficult to immediately turn our attention to winter. What happened to fall, right? It’s October! We should be thinking about Halloweekend in Los Alamos. It’s pumpkin season, people! But here in the Secret City on the Hill, it isn’t unusual to find yourself slogging through knee high snow drifts when Trick or Treating. And as Mother Nature reminded us very forcefully only a few years ago, she’s still got a few epic winters up her sleeve.

So, here are two categories to at LEAST glance over before you find yourself stepping outside one morning to find Santa’s Reindeer nibbling on your Jack o’ Lantern.

Your House

I’m not suggesting you pull out the snowblower and park it by the front door. But, if you have a snowblower, at least pull it out and make sure it starts. Does it need maintenance? Is it parked behind the golf clubs and an entire year’s worth of yard care tools?

While you’re locating and servicing that snowblower (if you have one), check the status of your snow shovels. Are they still in decent condition? Are you likely to pull a muscle just trying to get the raggedy thing to push a path from your front door to your car? More importantly than that, if you depend on a stack of firewood to keep your home warm, do you have a snow shovel handy to clear a path from the door to the wood pile? Do you depend on heated water bowls for your pets? Find them and make sure they’re still functional. If you have chickens at home, be real about the amount of insulation in their coop. Do you need some extra straw or other bedding? What about a heat lamp for those really cold nights? Don’t wait until you’ve got snow in your bedroom slippers to plan for the cold weather.

Get ready right now! If your snow removal equipment is in good shape and ready to use, then take a look around your storage area. Imagine you woke up to the first snowfall. It’s not just a dusting of the white stuff either. But it isn’t enough to cancel school and prevent you from having to go to work. Ask yourself how long is it going to take you to unbury and untangle your snow removal gear from the garden shed or garage? Be realistic. Asking this question now is likely to save you a whole lot of frustration and maybe a late morning later in the season.

If your snow shovel is a lost cause and that brand new bag of snow melt you were sure you bought at the end of last winter is either almost empty or missing entirely, DO NOT WAIT TO PURCHASE MORE. You heard me, friend! Most hardware & home improvement stores begin stocking these supplies in the early fall. Be the first to replenish your stock. Don’t be the guy standing in a nearly empty aisle playing last man standing just for the right to purchase an overpriced container of snow melt or the very last snow shovel! Sure. We’re always playing a bit of Russian Roulette with the amount of snowfall we’ll actually receive. But the winter of 2019 taught us it’s better to be safe than sorry and we should probably all remember that lesson!

Your Car

Yes. That’s right. Your car! Fall is the time to check your antifreeze levels. Consult your owners’ manual (or the Internet) for instructions on how to do this important chore. If you’ve got a four wheel drive, when was the last time you actually tried to use that feature? The appropriate time to hit that button is NOT when you’re stranded in a parking lot feeling smug about getting home in your 4×4. Oddly enough, back in 2019 when we had all of that snow, I heard from more than one frustrated SUV owner that the SUV they thought was a 4×4 actually wasn’t one at all. Not all SUVs have the same features. And full time all wheel drive is not the same as four wheel drive. Know your vehicle’s capabilities. Check your tires. Some front wheel drive cars can be amazing beasts in the snow if they’ve got good tires. It’s much better to know before you go. That way, you can opt to just stay home if that’s the wiser choice.

Even if you think you’re completely prepared, there is always the possibility of getting stranded in your vehicle. It doesn’t take much to be prepared for this, but preparation is key. Now is the time to put together a small box of emergency supplies and keep it in your trunk or perhaps the cargo area of your SUV.

Space blankets make a wonderful start to any cold weather emergency box. They don’t take up much space and you can find them in the camping or outdoor department of the store. You might want to add a fleecy blanket of some kind too. These are comforting and can keep you warm for a short period of time when you’re waiting for a ride.

Hand warmers are something a lot of people don’t think about and wish that they had. Hot Hands makes a variety of chemical warmers that work like first aid ice packs. You pop them and they heat up. You can buy a multi pack on Amazon for less than twenty bucks and keep it in your emergency box. Having toe warmers in your shoes can make sitting in a rapidly cooling car a lot less frightening.

It isn’t a bad idea to put some kind of food rations or snacks in your emergency box as well. Protein bars work well, or fruit snacks for the kids. And its always a good idea to have some bottled water in there too. Most inexpensive bottled water can freeze and thaw without breaking through the plastic so it shouldn’t be an issue with your car sitting overnight in the driveway.

The other key ingredient to the emergency box is to keep checking it to make sure you’ve got what you need. Maybe you used all of your snacks waiting in the car the other day for the kids to get done with sports practice. Or one of the kiddos grabbed the blanket for a nap in their seat and took it into the house with them. The truth is that we live in a town, but we don’t live in a huge metropolitan area.

Most of us who grew up here in Los Alamos remember parents nagging us to have extra clothing in the car or a spare pair of shoes or boots. Maybe we’re in the habit of keeping half a dozen jackets or sweatshirts in our backseat at any given moment. This is because Los Alamos is still pretty rural in some significant ways. You are NOT going to be able to call a tow truck in a snow storm. If you’re stranded somewhere in the county you can call the police or the fire department to come and get you out of your car, but that’s going to take time. And in some cases, you’re going to be better off leaving your car and walking to the nearest neighborhood for help. So be prepared and have boots and jackets for everyone with you! Put some waterproof gloves in your emergency kit. Maybe some extra socks or even an entire dry set of clothing. It’s always much better to be prepared than be sorry.

Remember, Los Alamos is an awesome place to be! But when you’re this close to the bonafide wilderness, there are both benefits and costs. Sure. You can curl into a cozy chair at night and listen to the bull elk calling like a bunch of third graders learning to play the recorder or hear a pack of coyotes howl at the moon as they sprint past your yard. But we also have to think about bear proof trashcans, bobcats in our chicken coops, and getting stranded in a snowstorm. So be prepared! And when you’re preparing to buy or sell your home, give me a call! Rain or snow, I’d love to talk to you!