CAMDEN, Maine (BDN) — The sub-zero temperatures that swept across Maine last winter can be a hindrance to the snowmaking process for ski areas. But on top of the freezing conditions, snowmakers at the Camden Snow Bowl had to deal with another complicating factor: beavers.

The water used for making snow at the Snow Bowl — midcoast Maine’s only ski mountain — comes from Hosmer Pond, located at the base of Ragged Mountain. The beavers that call the pond home have taken to damming up the intake pipe that brings water to the ski area’s snowmaking guns, delaying the process until the pipe can be cleared.

Now isn’t that just like a beaver! Damming up the pond where you like to drain water to make snow! What are they thinking? I guess selfishly trying not to let their family freeze solid in a shallow pond. How selfish! The nerve of some rodents!

This season, the Snow Bowl has enlisted a diver to remove the beavers’ handiwork every time the snowmaking process is about to start. While Ward said the beavers are still trying their best to clog the pipe, preempting the delay in the process by hiring a diver has made for much smoother snowmaking.’

A diver has been digging out the pipe? In sub-freezing temperatures? More than one time? It’s Maine I guess, so people might as well dive into a hole in the snowy waters. They are hardy up there, digging out their cars and unfreezing their toilet seats. But still. Brrrrr….

So I’ve been working on some beavers and birds images for an upcoming talk at Mt Diablo Audubon. I wanted a nice graphic to get me started, and I’ve always wanted to have really short ready-made beaver ‘comercials’that any one could use  to tell the story. Of course I have zero artistic skill so this could only be made by stealing the artwork of others and adjusting, resizing and editing it down to make it just so. What do you think?

i had to hunt a long time for just the right tree and sky. I like the colors of this all together so i think it works for now.

And speaking of wild things folks are willing to do in extreme weather. You need to watch this. Don’t ask me how I know. You just do. Turn your sound up.

You’re welcome.