Mountain News · 6 | Get Ready For Winter, 2017 Protect Your Home from a Big Freeze By Johnny O’Brien, O’Brien Plumbing

2 | Get Ready For Winter, 2017

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Mountain NewsP.O. Box 2410, Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352

(909) 336–3555Publisher: Harry Bradley

Production: Matthew Rice

Advertising: Angela Yap, Harry Bradley

Editorial: Marshall Fryman, Diane Williams,Dr. Colleen Hinds, Johnny O’Brien, Stacey Lippert, Nolan Calkins, Angela Yap Scan with smart phone to

visit our website.

Preparing Your Family for Wintertime

Get Ready for Winter

Protect Your Home from a Big Freeze

Precautions Can Make Your Winter Driving Safer

Is Your Dock Ready for Winter?

Keeping The Lights On

Take Action To Avoid Winter Home Damage

Items to Carry In Your Car

Wildlife in Winter

Winter Is Coming — Tips for Your Balance

Preparing Pets for Winter

Hiring ABC Members Ensures Professional Service

Rim Bowling Offers Year-Round Family Fun

It’s Time for Your Chimney Check-up

Arrowhead Woods Architectural Committee

How to Improve Indoor Air Quality in Winter

Maximize the Efficiency of Your Fireplace

Enjoy a Hot Bowl of Soup on a Cold Winter Day

Winter Sports on the Mountain

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Table of Contents Preparing Your Familyfor Wintertime

By Angela Yap Ice, snow, and “snow days” with the kids in the house — Are

you and your family “winterized”?Heavy snowfall and ice build-up can put weight on electrical lines

and cut off power, so have the following on hand at home:• Flashlights and batteries• Plenty of blankets• A safety kit for your car• Salt or sand for treacherous sidewalks• Supplies of medication to last a few days at least• Enough firewood for your fireplace• Foods

MAKING YOUR KITCHEN READY FOR WINTERIt is all about comfort for the family. Stock up on comfort food,

basic ingredients for making soup, oatmeal, frozen berries, peanut butter, tuna, garbanzo beans, canned juices, crackers/bread, raisins and nuts, carrots, squash and apples, pet food, and a slow cooker.

Always stock up so you will have three days’ worth of food when a winter storm is in the forecast.

TIPS FOR PLAYING OUTSIDE IN WINTERDress infants

and children in sev-eral thin layers, such as long johns, turtle-necks, one or two shirts, a sweater, warm socks, boots, gloves or mittens, and a coat.

Children who play outside may experience hypo-thermia.The first sign of hypothermia is shivering and it’s time to go inside. This includes your pets as well.

Adults and children can also get the beginnings of frostbite, which destroys living tissue, without being aware of it. The first sign is numbness and the skin can appear gray, pale, or blistered along with the numbness. Always keep safety in mind for the family while playing outside.

Inside this publication, you will find many useful articles to help you and your family Get Ready for Winter! Have a safe and wonderful winter!

Get Ready For Winter, 2017 | 3

Get Ready for WinterBy Marshall Fryman

Winter is right around the corner and that means it’s time to get any last-minute maintenance done.

Maybe you’re new to the mountain and this is your first winter here. You could be a local who’s been putting off some necessary repairs or renova-tions. You might be a weekender who comes for the holidays. Is your home ready for the coming winter storms?

Scott D’Angelo from Rim Forest Lumber has a few suggestions to get your home ready. He reminds us that “It’s getting darker earlier. There are more dark hours than light, ultimately, as the winter progresses.” You’ll need indoor and outdoor lighting. Have an outdoor bulb that died this year? Better replace it now.

As it gets colder, you’ll be spending more time indoors. D’Angelo went on to say, “They have gotten down to the point where light is assigned a color temperature, which makes it more pleasing to deal with… There are temperature ratings that allow you to have light that is comfortable inside the home as well as outside the home.”

Rim Forest Lumber offers a number of LED bulbs in comfortable, warm colors that reduce eye strain. As you’ll need to use your lights more, you can expect your electricity bill to go up. While LED bulbs are generally considered more expensive than others, you stand to see long-term savings and, through the winter alone, maybe even a return on your investment. “Although they do cost more per bulb, they ultimately will help to diminish your electricity use. So as time goes by, as people replace the bulb, they’ll come to the point where they’re starting to notice the savings.” Because LED bulbs are more energy-efficient, they can reduce the power you use, to take the edge off while you’re paying more for heating and other utilities.

Many of our mountain homes are built using post-and-pier support sys-tems. While these foundations allow our homes to be built on steep inclines, they’re not exactly efficient at keeping the house warm. “You get an awful lot of air moving through there that really robs heat and that has two delete-rious effects. One is, of course, that it increases your heating bill. Secondly, that’s where the plumbing is in the house itself,” D’Anglelo commented.

Plumbing freezes during the winter. While folk wisdom suggests you leave your faucets running overnight to keep that from happening, that wastes money and water. It’s easier, and cheaper, to insulate your pipes. In minutes, you can easily install pipe insulation, using the pads available at Rim Forest Lumber. Those few minutes and dollars spent insulating your pipes could mean the difference between having warm running water, or no water at all, on the coldest of mornings.

Think you know what rooms are causing you to lose heat? D’Angelo has a suggestion. “The first thing to do would be to go into that area, take a serious look at it, and maybe even light a few matches and blow them out to see if the smoke goes straight up or side to side. If it blows vertically, then that’s telling you there’s no air moving, taking it away, and that’s a hint of what’s going on in that space.”

D’Angelo warns mountain residents, “As we get older, it’s tougher to overcome a slip and fall,” but anyone can be seriously injured by slipping on ice. To keep your home safe, you’ll want to make sure your walks and driveways are free of ice and snow. You’ll need a shovel or snow blower

to clear the snow away, and ice melt to prevent slippery ice from forming where you need to walk. If you want to reduce the strain of shoveling snow, you can pick up a can of lubricant to reduce the friction between your shovel, the snow and the ground. Get a thick pair of gloves to keep your hands warm and dry.

You might have a snowblower but you want to make sure that it’s in working order. “They should be looked at annually. Not a big deal, but it’s good to have them ready to go when you need them.” Rim Forest Lumber offers snowblower maintenance services, as well as pick-up and delivery.

D’Angelo uses boot treads. “I don’t go out without them. I wear them to work. I put them on when I go out because a little patch of ice can really undo you, and it’s not good.” They easily slip over any boot and shoe to provide your footwear with extra grip.

Your everyday shoes aren’t going to handle the snow well. Wear wa-terproof boots when you’re shoveling or spending a lot of time in the snow. Alternatively, you can buy a can of waterproofing aerosol that’ll work for most shoes.

How bad can the winter be? Wes Mitten, who works at the Cedar Glen Trading Post, has some insights. “You never know what the weather’s going to be like. It could be a storm or it could be a dust-ing.” Either way,

Mitten agrees that you should prepare for the worst.You’ll wish you had flashlights, candles, lanterns and a generator if you

lose power, like so many do during heavy snow. Have oil, gas and fresh batteries ready ahead of time. You won’t want to fumble through the night trying to figure out the last place you saw them. Take inventory of every-thing you have and have it ready and easy to access before the snow falls. You won’t want to make any last-minute trips to the store, if the store is open at all.

If you have a wood-burning fireplace, have firewood ready. Think the little pile next to your fireplace will last? Mitten has three cords ready to go for this winter season. In his own words, “If you don’t use all of it, there’s al-ways next year.” You don’t want to waste time or money trying to burn wet wood. Keep it somewhere dry and safe, like a shed or underneath a deck, covered by a tarp. Have a wood rack near the fireplace so that your wood dries more quickly if it does get wet.


Rim Forest Lumber

Cedar Glen Trading Post



Protect Your Home from a Big Freeze By Johnny O’Brien, O’Brien Plumbing

If the freeze of 2007 taught us anything, it is to be prepared! Just like purchasing chains for your vehicle, winterizing your home is one of the most important things you can to do to prepare for the upcoming winter. Plumbing damages resulting from a freeze can result in hundreds or thou-sands of dollars in repairs. Thankfully, taking a couple of precautions can help protect one of your most important investments.

One of your biggest allies in the fight against costly winter repairs is a courtesy shutoff valve. More and more water companies are urging their customers to install one. Whether you are a full-time or seasonal resident, water should always be shut off before you leave your home for an extended period of time. A courtesy shutoff valve, installed next to the meter, allows the customer to shut the water off to both the house and the irrigation system quickly and conveniently. Without a courtesy shutoff valve, you risk broken pipes, extreme water loss and damage to your home.

With rising energy costs as they are, winterizing can also be a good solution for the seasonal vacationer. It is standard practice to leave the thermostat set at a low temperature if you are away, to help keep indoor pipes from freezing. However, if the house is to sit vacant for the winter, draining the lines, along with more extensive winterizing methods, can re-lieve the need to run the thermostat. This can save money as well as give the customer peace of mind.

Three mountain area water agencies, Crestline Village Water District

(CVWD), Lake Arrowhead Community Services District (LACSD) and Running Springs Water District (RSWD) also offer plenty of winterizing tips. Here are a few ideas for you to consider.

• Disconnect and drain all outdoor hoses. CVWD cautions that all hoses should be disconnected from outside faucets. A single, hard, over-night freeze can burst either the faucet or the pipe it’s connected to.

• Protect your water lines. RSWD encourages its customers to check all water lines from the meter to the house, to make sure there are no exposed lines or fixtures. They should be sufficiently insulated to prevent freezing. CVWD also suggests that residents or owners check any water lines that may be in the buildup area under the house, the attic area, or any others that may be in unheated areas, such as a garage.

• If you are leaving your vacation home for the winter, consider draining waterlines. LACSD suggests that once your water is turned off at the shutoff valve, open and drain all household and irrigation lines. Any trapped water can freeze, causing pipes to expand and break. Once all the lines have been drained, it is important to close all household and irrigation lines again before leaving your home.

Need help winterizing? O’Brien Plumbing does free winterizing esti-mates as well as offers a winterizing service as a convenient way to ready your house for the fast-approaching winter. We can identify parts of the plumbing system most susceptible to freeze and better prepare them. Whether you are a full-time resident or won’t be up until next spring, O’Brien Plumbing can tailor a winterizing program to your needs.


Precautions Can Make Winter Driving SaferIt could be just a matter of days, or it could last for weeks, but the

challenging driving conditions of winter are inevitable on the mountain, and drivers need to be ready for them.

When snow blankets the roadways, unprepared drivers who venture out may find themselves in for some nasty surprises, and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) has seen plenty of instances of weather-frustrated motorists.

Officer Benjamin Baker has some sage advice for those who must drive on snowy roads. It begins with the use of chains, something that will be required when snows are heavy.

“If you don’t know how to put them on, learn on a nice warm driveway, and not on the side of a highway when it’s snowing and when your hands are numb and frozen.”

Having chains properly installed is not the only precaution drivers need to take. Speed, Baker noted, is the single most significant factor in driving safely in snow.

“Slow down. That’s the best recommendation I can make. It’s not about going fast or stopping fast. If you’re trying to get somewhere fast in the snow, you’re going to find yourself in a world of trouble.” Take into consid-eration that, with chains on your car, the speed limit drops to 30 mph.

Even the best-prepared motorists can find themselves stranded as a result of someone else’s poor driving or if heavy snow blocks a highway. In preparation for such happenings, Baker recommends some pre-planning.

“Make sure you have a full tank of gas,” he explained. “A drive that should take an hour could take three or four, and there’s nothing like stand-ing around in your shorts and T-shirt with no gas in your car.”

Having a fully charged cell phone in your vehicle is also a must, he said, to call for help in the event of being stranded or a breakdown occurs.

If you get stuck in a drift, Baker suggests breaking out the shovel you thought ahead of time to place in the trunk and creating a pathway out.

Baker also recommends carrying a set of bolt cutters in case a tire chain gets wrapped around an axle. Flares to warn other drivers that your vehicle is disabled can be used, but Baker cautions against lighting them anywhere near vegetation.

“We don’t want to start a forest fire,” he said.As a preferred alternative, Baker advises using commercially available

brightly colored plastic triangles to alert passing cars of your car’s vulnerability.In the event that a snow-caused delay should drag on and on, Baker

encourages having water, warm clothing and food in your car, as well. Warm boots with good tread will also be helpful while digging out, especially when combined with boot spikes or chains.

If you do need to put chains on in snowy conditions, having a waterproof tarp to lie, kneel or sit on can make the job a lot less frustrating.

Even veteran mountain drivers may forget, in the first snow of the sea-son, that the law requires the use of headlights in inclement weather. With-out them, other drivers may not know that you’re there — in time to avoid a collision — especially one involving white or silver cars that can be hidden behind a wall of falling snow.

Caltrans has some good recommendations, as well, including making sure brakes, wipers, defrosters, heaters and exhaust systems are in good shape before mountain driving. Carry an ice scraper and an extra car key so you don’t lock yourself out while shoveling or chaining up, Caltrans advises.

Experts say that, second to driving at a cautious speed, having trac-tion-enhancing devices like chains, cables or Spikes-Spiders on a vehicle’s tires is the best thing a driver can do to increase motoring safety.

Studded tires are also helpful, especially in icy conditions, and all- or four-wheel-drive vehicles have a big leg up on two-wheel-drive cars when battling winter’s elements.

Those willing to act on this word to the wise and who don’t have a reliable set of chains can find them at Rim Forest Lumber. Manager Scott D’Angelo said his store carries German-made, top-of-the-line Pewag chains for its customers, and they’re popular with people in construction and what D’Angelo calls “civilians.”

Chains for cars start at $47.99 a set, he commented, while those for trucks and SUVs begin at around $200. Rim Forest Lumber has also added a line of Pewag V-Track cable chains, D’Angelo mentioned.

Cables are a little pricier than chains and may not provide quite as much traction, but experts say their lower profile can make them easier to install on vehicles with minimal clearance between the tires and the wheel well.

Whatever method of giving traction is chosen, advance preparation is key, D’Angelo emphasized.

“I advise people, before the weather gets bad, to take last year’s chains and lay them out. Replace any bad cross links and spray the chains with WD-40,” he said. “Do that at the end of the season, too.”

D’Angelo stresses that safe winter driving is all about preparing in ad-vance, before something bad happens.

For when it does, however, his store carries a wide variety of scrapers, de-icer spray, ice shields for windshields and anti-freeze.

Cedar Glen-area residents may wish to purchase their winter supplies closer to home, and Cedar Glen Trading Post and Hardware has a full com-plement of chains and cables in stock.




Is Your Dock Ready for Winter?By Angela Yap

Snow storms and heavy rain can cause dam-age to your dock — are YOU ready? It’s import-ant to prepare your dock now for winter and get in touch with one of our local dock specialists.

This means having it inspected for any dam-age that may have occurred earlier this year, particularly in the summer, and to check for things such as loose chains or rust.

“Make sure that even the smallest item is checked,” said Aaron Lawler, owner of All Amer-ican Dock Pros. “For example, a missing cotter pin can cause a lot of damage.”

“All American Dock Pros’ winter watch ser-vice provides a sense of security to dock own-ers,” Lawler explained. “All American Dock Pros’ technicians are on the lake year-round watching over docks; they are looking for po-tential problems caused by winter winds that blow through. With our fully equipped barge on the lake year-round, All American Dock Pros is ready to tackle any problem that could arise.”

As part of its winter watch service, All American Dock Pros check regular-ly on the depth of the water under their customer’s dock. Should they find that the depth under a dock is at a critical stage, their friendly and professional staff will notify the owner immediately and get authorization to move it out to deeper water. “You want to keep your dock floating,” Lawler concluded. “You don’t want the floats to hit the rocks because they can puncture.”

Your dock might become dry-docked and severely damaged. “If your dock is already unhooked and we receive any rain or snow, or if there are high winds or rough water, your dock may shift or float away — damaging itself and the docks around it,” according to Mike Scorziell, owner of MJS Docks. “These problems are in addition to the normal summer and winter headaches of broken chains, loose pins and snow damage.” MJS Docks’ dock watch service cov-ers summer, winter and a combination for both seasons. Scorziell asked, “Will you be at the lake to watch your dock? Let MJS dock service watch your dock for you!”

Brian Perrin of Kiwi Docks noted that their Winter Dock Watch Program was initiated in 2001 to help dock owners keep their docks in good condition and to prepare for the effects of seasonal weath-er variations. “Since it’s not always feasible or convenient for dock owners to check on their docks regularly,” Perrin explained, “we do it for them. Members enrolled in our Dock Watch Program are more

prepared for severe weather events, and thus the frequency and severity of dock damage is greatly reduced.” Perrin mentioned that with timely updates, members are able to act more quick-ly if maintenance issues or damages surface, preventing further damage and liabilities.

“The necessity of this program arises from the unpredictable and often harsh conditions of Lake Arrowhead’s rapidly changing seasons,” said Perrin. “Storms, changing lake levels, snow

and improper maintenance frequently create costly repairs for un-suspecting dock owners.”

Brian Perrin has joined his father, Rob Perrin, in managing Kiwi Docks. They will focus on construction, new dock and pier design.

All American Dock Pros, MJS Docks and Kiwi Docks all offer dock watch services. These include making inspections of a dock, gangplank and pier; looking for problems and reporting potential trouble to the dock owner.

They are out on the lake even in the harshest of weather condi-tions and docks are checked after every storm as well as periodical-ly throughout the winter months.

All American Dock Pros: (909) 744-9664Kiwi Docks: (909) 336-5494MJS Docks: (909) 337-1133



Keeping the Lights OnYou’re sitting at home, waiting for dinner to finish cooking, watching the

game on TV. Suddenly everything goes dark — the power has gone out. You call Southern California Edison; there’s no estimate as to when the downed power line will be fixed. You stumble around in the dark, searching for the flashlight you know you have in the cupboard.

Sound familiar? But what if, instead, the lights went out for just a few seconds and then everything started working again?

The second scenario is made possible with a standby generator. Eddie Urban of On Top Electric is a certified installer of Generac generators, which can be powered by either natural gas or propane.

The generators come in sizes ranging from 7.5 to 22 kW for residential structures. The smallest one has 10 circuits, or breakers, each of which can power several devices, all of which can run at the same time. “It will cover all the necessary things,” Urban said, “your refrigerator, furnace, micro-wave.” The largest two will run the whole house.

When the power problem is fixed, Urban said, his clients probably aren’t even aware of it. “They can’t hear the generator working so the only way they know they lost power and it came back on is they notice that other things [not connected to the generator] start working.”

To install a generator, the Urban Electric crew first builds a concrete pad onto which they bolt down the generator. The units are weatherproof and need no enclosure over them. In fact, they need room for the air to circulate around them to dissipate the fumes.

These automatic generators can run for days. But after several days, the

homeowner should check the oil and make sure the generator isn’t overheating.When the generators are not in use, they kick on once a week, on the

same day, to run through a cycle. “That keeps everything working and lubed up,” Urban said.

His staff will go out and service the units once a year. The process is similar to tuning a car: The generator is first started up and allowed to run, to make sure it’s doing what it’s supposed to do. After being turned off, the oil is drained, the oil filter taken out, and both are replaced. The team also remove and replace the spark plugs and air filter. After running the generator through a series of diagnostic tests, they start it up again for a final test.

Generac units are so popular because they are built from scratch at the manufacturer’s plants in Wisconsin. They make everything — the cabinets, the generators and the motors.

Their clients, Urban noted, are primarily full-time residents. Many are older people who have lived on the mountain for a while and are tired of pull-starting a generator in the snow.

On Top Electric has also installed and serviced generators for people with special medical needs. Those clients, Urban said, can’t afford to lose their power for any length of time.

The cost of these generators ranges from $4,500 and up, depending upon the size of the house, where the gas meter is and where the electrical panel is. To show appreciation to his customers, Urban offers a no-tax/no-shipping cost deal to mountain residents, a substantial savings of nearly $1,000.

For more information, call On Top Electric at (951) 850-6521.



Please give me a call and compare

my prices with the competition

BETTER “SHAFE” . . .THAN SORRY!

Offering the CommunityReliable and Competent

Electrical Service at Affordable Prices

909-337-4345P.O. Box 1058, Blue Jay, CA 92317

Fax: 909-337-3857


Take Action To Avoid Winter Home Damage Ice dams may not exactly be a household word, but they cost

the public millions of dollars each year, when ceilings and walls are ruined as a result of winter water seepage.

Ice dams usually occur after a heavy snowfall and several days of freezing temperatures. Warmth from inside a home causes snow on the roof to melt and trickle to the roof’s edge, where it refreezes, blocking gutters and drains. Since water cannot flow over the built-up ice, it seeps into the home under the shingles.

The result will often be a water spot on the ceiling under the roof damage.

There are steps homeowners can take both before the cold weather arrives or should an ice dam occur.

STEPS TO TAKE IN THE FALL• Keep all gutters and downspouts clear. Make certain that

leaves, sticks and debris are removed completely from your home’s gutters and downspouts.

• Keep your attic chilly. The most effective way to eliminate ice dams is to stop snowmelt by making the roof colder. This can be achieved by insulating the floor of the attic and under the roof, and by blocking all crevices (known as ‘bypasses’) where warm air from

the interior can rise into the attic.• Identify water entry points within the home. You may wish to

contact a contractor to locate these entry points and take the appro-priate actions to create a waterproof barrier.

STEPS TO TAKE IN THE WINTER• If possible, use a roof rake or push broom to reduce the

amount of snow that could melt. Do not stand on a ladder or climb onto the roof to clear the snow, as serious injury may result. Be cautious of electrical wires.

• Avoid standing on the ground and chipping away at any ice that forms. Not only could this damage your roof, but you could be seriously injured by falling ice, debris or tools.

• To melt the ice, bring new life to an old set of legs. It may sound strange, but placing old nylon stockings filled with snow-melting chemicals on an ice dam is an effective way to melt the dam and create a channel for the water to run off. Be certain to place the stockings perpendicular to the gutter near the edge of the roof.

• In an emergency situation, when water is seeping into the house, the best advice is to notify a professional contractor.


Items To Carry in Your CarYou and your vehicle should be properly equipped all winter long,

whether you are making short trips to the grocery store, if your com-mute to work is short or long, or if you anticipate a long road trip to visit distant family or friends.

GENERAL• Cell phone (keep with you at all times) and charger• A brightly colored cloth (tie to antenna or at top of rolled-up window to signal distress)• Flashlight and extra batteries• Compass• Matches in a waterproof container• Scissors and string or cord• Duct tape and WD-40

PERSONAL SUPPLIES• First aid kit• Small supply of any essential medication• Water• Nonperishable high-energy foods like unsalted nuts and dried fruits• Extra clothes, warm socks, gloves, hats, sunglasses• Blankets• Old towel for cleaning and drying hands

SNOW SUPPLIES• Ice scraper and snow brush• Broom to brush snow off car• Snow shovel• Sand, kitty litter or burlap for traction

VEHICLE SUPPLIES• Chains or cables that fit wheels properly• Chain repair links• Properly inflated spare tire, wheel wrench, tripod jack• Seat belt cutter and window breaker• Reflective triangles or flares• Jumper cables• Tool kit• Tire sealant• Tow chains• Windshield cleaner• Roadside flares


Wildlife In WinterIt’s a sad mountain resident who finds his or her favorite hum-

mingbirds lifeless after a chilly overnight at backyard bird feeders.One of the worst winter conditions for wildlife is when home

owners leave feeders out for hummingbirds too late in the month of November so that they don’t migrate to lower elevations. The tiny birds can’t live in freezing temperatures and they feed until they freeze to death.

Other problems occur when bears and other animals like raccoons and foxes take up resi-dence in build-ups for winter.

Homeowners demand that Fish and Wildlife remove them from their property. With a depredation per-mit, trappers are allowed to kill these defenseless animals when they aren’t able to get away. We recommend leaving the animals alone for the win-ter and having a professional haze them away when winter is over. The proactive answer is to check all buildings and boats for holes and open areas that need repair to keep unwanted animals out.

Most native animals can take the weather, but obviously injured wildlife need to be rescued immediately and sent to licensed reha-bilitators for care. Birds can fly into vehicles and sustain wing injury

or concussions during windstorms. Drivers should be aware day and night. It’s not un-usual to find an owl at the side of the road, stunned by a collision with an inanimate object.

Winter can be a challenge for us all. But it’s our responsibility to be kind to our forest friends at this season

of extreme temperatures and conditions so that we can enjoy their presence in the spring, summer and fall.

Wildhaven Ranch is a wildlife sanctuary that will answer ques-tions about wildlife in trouble. Call (909) 337-7389 for information about their winter programs.

Submitted by Diane Dragotto Williams


Winter Is Coming – Tips for Your BalanceBy Colleen Hinds, Ph.D.

“Winter is Coming!” Not only is this one of my favor-ite quotes from “Game of Thrones,” but it’s the truth for us all on the mountain. Personally, I love waking up to glis-tening mounds of fresh snow that dumped overnight, and watching the intricate and delicate snowflakes fall from the sky. With the beauty of winter also comes the ice-covered stairs and unexpected patch-es of black ice which most definitely increase the risk of our falling and hurting our-selves. Did you know that there are things you can be doing right now to de-crease your risk of falling? Yes, right now!

Your balance is a skill that must be practiced and can be trained in a variety of ways. Balance comes from a combination of muscular strength, flexibility, proprioception (special nerves from your feet that tell your brain where your body is in space), vi-sion and the vestibular system (magi-cal system of canals in your inner ear that provides feedback about where your body is in space). Balance works best when all systems are functioning at their best, so you need to be working on keeping them all in tip-top shape. To get you started, here are a few things you can be doing before winter strikes!

• If you haven’t already, start a resis-tance training program. It doesn’t matter your age or gender, you should be incorporating some type of resistance training program into your life. Depending upon your age, somewhere between 8-15 repetitions, 2-4 sets of exercises like squats, lunges, leg curls, leg extensions, hip bridges or other lower body exercises two days a week will do the trick. There are fun toys like resistance bands or stability balls that you can work out with if you don’t like using weights or machines. Grab a personal trainer now and get started!

• Stretch it out! After a nice walk, hot shower, or after your re-sistance training, when your muscles are warm and ready, do some simple stretches to lengthen the muscles, which will help to im-prove gait (the way you walk) and the way you catch yourself if you start to fall. Hold stretches at the point of tightness (never pain) for

20-30 seconds and repeat 1-4 times. For the best results, you should stretch five to seven days of the week if you want to see improvement. A quick search on the Internet for pictures or videos of ‘lower body stretches’ will give you inspiration! Or jump into one of the many wonderful yoga classes

going on around the mountain.3. Challenge your proprioceptors! Try

standing on a squishy mat or a pillow, something that makes it harder for your brain to interpret what the surface is like. Hold onto a counter or chair if needed.

If that is easy, try to close your eyes and balance! Let your body wobble and practice finding its balance. Still too easy? Try it on one leg. Too easy? Turn your head left to right and take out the help of the vestibular system.

4. Challenge all your sys-tems! Holding onto a chair or counter if needed, stand on one leg. With the other leg in the air, imagine that you are

spelling out the alphabet with your big toe. Go all the way from A to Z or as far as you can before setting your foot back on the ground and switching to the other leg.

So what can you be doing while you read this paper? Stand up and see if you can balance. Without your eyes looking around, it will challenge your vestibular system

and your proprioceptors. Too easy? Try it on one leg! Still too easy? Try mov-

ing that floating leg in front of your body, to the side and then to the back. Still too easy? Stand on a pillow while doing it. No matter what your age or fitness level, there is always something that you can do to work on your balance.

Sending you good vibes for a “fall-free” winter!

Colleen Hinds is a professor and deptment chair of Kinesiology and Health at Crafton Hills College. She teaches Health, Nutrition, Hiking, Aerobics and Total Body Fitness.

She is also a weekly guest speaker at the UCLA Bruin Woods Family Resort in the summer, addressing nutrition and fitness. Col-leen holds a Masters in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Exercise Physiology, and a PhD in Rehabilitation Science.


Preparing Pets for WinterMany people love the cold weather and snow — and the same

can be said for pets. Just as people prepare their homes and cars for winter, so should they keep their pets in mind when the mercury drops. Here are some pet pointers for when cold weather arrives.

• Since cats are very susceptible to the cold and can freeze if left outdoors, they should be kept inside during especially cold weather. Stray cats have a tendency to hide under car hoods to keep warm. Bang on the car before starting it to alert them so they aren’t injured by the running motor.

• According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cru-elty to Animals® (ASPCA), more dogs are lost during the winter than any other season. That’s because they can easily lose their scent on snow-covered roads. Always keep your dog on a leash when out in the snow or on ice and make sure their identification tags are current.

Pets may love to frolic in the snow, but there are steps you can take to safeguard them from winter weather. Salt-covered pavement and cold walkways can wreak havoc on a dog’s paws. Blisters and cuts can occur from prolonged exposure.

• Wash your pet’s paws after coming in from walks to remove salt and any crusted ice or snow. Consider putting protective boo-ties on your pet to prevent his or her paws from coming in contact with salt and snow. SueEllen Knapp, 35-year animal welfare and edu-cation representative, also suggests using a light spray of cooking oil to keep the snow from clumping and sticking to your dog’s paws.

• Just as you shouldn’t leave a dog or cat in a car in the summer for concern of its overheating, the same can be said for leaving a pet in a car during the winter. A vehicle can act as a refrigerator and the pet may freeze to death.

• Despite their fur, some dogs feel the cold more than oth-ers. Short-haired breeds can benefit from a sweater. Don’t shave long-coated dogs down to the skin during the winter. This allows for more fur insulation. Other dogs, Knapp pointed out, are “built” to be out in the harshest of elements and some will even prefer to be out-side because the house is kept too warm for their taste in the win-ter. The arctic breeds (Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies, Samo-yeds, Norwegian Elkhounds, and others) sport a “double coat” that offers the extra insulation they need to feel comfy outside.

• If you bathe your pet during the winter, make sure you dry him or her thoroughly, especially before going outside. This way he or she won’t catch a chill. Be sure to put your pet’s collar and tags back on after bath time.

• Puppies and older dogs may be more sensitive to the cold. This can make housetraining difficult during these months. Be pa-tient and consider paper-training for the time being. Older dogs who are already housebroken should be taken outside only briefly during cold spells to relieve themselves.

• Anti-freeze is sweet smelling to pets and can attract inquisi-tive animals, but it is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using

products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol.• Pets should have a cozy spot to sleep — away from drafts and

the cold floor. A blanket or foam-filled pet bed can be comfortable. It is recommended that even outdoor dogs be taken indoors during cold weather.

• Most pet birds are tropical varieties and will not tolerate drops in temperature. Keep bird cages away from drafty windows or doors that open frequently.

• Don’t skimp on flea and tick protection even though it’s winter. Warm indoor air can incubate flea eggs that are on a pet’s coat and cause them to hatch.

Anyone who knows of an animal in need of shelter should call or text Knapp at (909) 213-7373. She may have the right-sized dog or cat house available for a pet in need. She will always accept any unused dog houses (any style, plastic type or small wooden ones) and pass those on, as well.

Frequently, Knapp said, wild or feral cats will have no shelter from the weather. They may resort to living under a deck with no other protection from the winter cold. They may find refuge in your build-up if they can gain access. These feral cats are most likely the offspring of cats abandoned by their original caregivers. They will not typically make use of a traditional dog house. However, other forms of shelter will offer them cold-weather protection. Even though they may be untamable adult cats, Knapp can offer plans to construct inexpensive shelters for them.

Dog owners should avoid letting their pets build up snowballs on their paws when playing outside. A light spray of cooking oil will do the trick.



Hiring ABC Members Ensures Professional ServiceAs you prepare for the onset of winter, there can be numerous rea-

sons for you to call a licensed contractor. If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to replace drafty old windows with double-paned ones to keep electric and gas bills low this winter. Or perhaps it’s new rain gutters, paint touch-up or your decks are in need of repair or sealant.

Don’t wait until the last minute or the next thunderstorm to have your roof repaired — or to replace your shake roof. Call now to hire a mem-ber of the Association of Building Contractors (ABC) San Bernardino Mountains, Inc. You can find one in ABC’s 2017 membership directory.

Licensed contractors in the local organization are friendly, conscien-tious about safety and a big step above the ‘average’ contractors. The association monitors its members for proper business practices, ensur-ing that members perform above state requirements. They are vetted, screened and monitored for your convenience and peace of mind.

Keeping its members’ reputations high is important to ABC. Asso-ciation standards are consistently above state licensing requirements and contractors are evaluated annually to make certain they are in good standing.

It’s easy to find a good builder, but it’s important to know that his business practices are in good order and that he follows ABC’s ethical guidelines.

Hiring someone who is unlicensed presents the risk of hiring some-one who ignores the law. The cost might be lower, but you could pay

more in the long run. Discovering that the job was done improperly means paying again to have it fixed. You might quickly forget how fast the job was done, but you never forget how badly it was done.

Another possibility is hiring a contractor who is licensed, but is not an ABC member. Risks still lurk in the background. For some, it might be easy to get a license, but it’s difficult to be good at what you do. Expe-rience is important, the business structure needs to be proper and high ethical standards are mandatory.

When something goes wrong, it can be difficult to gain satisfaction. Certainly it is best to avoid the time, expense and aggravation of a law-suit against an unlicensed handyman. But even the Contractors State License Board can take a long time because it does not have sufficient funding to discipline contractors.

In contrast, ABC handles local consumer complaints as a free-of-charge third-party mediator. Members of the board of directors will work with homeowners and contractors to resolve disputes.

Your home is one of the biggest investments you make. Too many people fail to treat their houses with the respect they deserve. Why take chances with one of your biggest assets?

ABC upholds high standards, so that members can say they belong to an elite group. It will benefit you to become acquainted with them. For more information, call (909) 337-6377, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.lakearrowhead-abc.com.


Rim Bowling Offers Year-Round Family Fun

Do you know that bowling has one of the longest and richest histories of all sports, dating back approximately 3,200 B.C.?

Bowling is easy to learn, and can be enjoyed at any age.Whether you’re a serious bowler or just want to have some fun

with friends, Rim Bowling in Crestline offers a wonderful way for you and your family to stay busy and healthy this winter. The bowling lanes, on-site Giuseppe’s Italian Pizzeria and Subway make it the perfect destination to have a little fun any night of the week — especially when it is snowing and you need an indoor activity for stress relief!

Bowling offers many health benefits:• Muscle toning and strengthening• Weight loss• Improve social life• Fun for the whole family

To learn more about Rim Bowling and bowling leagues, call Jody at Rim Bowling at (909) 338-5550 and tell Jody you saw her ad in Get Ready For Winter!


It’s Time for Your Chimney Check-upBy Nolan Calkins, Sweep’s Luck Chimney Service

With cold temperatures and snow on the hori-zon, this is the most important time of the year to have your chimney inspected and cleaned, if nec-essary. Creosote buildup from last winter, or from over a period of many winters, can ignite and cause a flue or structure fire.

The Chimney Safety Institute of America says that more than $200 million in damages is caused yearly, due to unsafe fireplaces.

Every now and then someone will call the office and ask if chimney fires really happen and if they really need to have their chimney cleaned. They already know what I’m going to tell them so I sug-gest that they do a Google search on “Chimney Fire.” That way they can do their own investigation and call us back if they want it cleaned, which they always do.

The goal is to keep your fireplace serviced and maintained so that you don’t have a chimney fire. Once you have one, it’s too late for us to do our job. A lot of times I ask a home owner, if their chim-ney is on fire now, if they have a fire extinguisher handy. Most of the time, they either don’t know or it is buried under the kitchen sink or

downstairs in a corner of the garage.Remember that when you start a fire in your fire-

place, you are literally putting fire inside your home. That needs to be taken seriously.

These are some things you should regularly check yourself:

• It is important to check your spark arrestor cap and screens, as they can blow off with the high winds we experience on the mountain.

• Check for tree branches and make sure they’re at least 15 feet away from the top of your chimney.

• If you have a wood-burning stove, check the clearances around the stove and pipe. Most house fires from wood stoves happen because the stove or pipe is too close to combustible material.

• Check for bird nests in or around the top of your chimney. Check also for loose bricks or moss

growing on your chimney. • Look closely at your firebox and fireplace for any visible cracks,

holes, gaps or rust.The first winter storm will be here before we know it. Plan ahead

so that when the temperatures begin to drop, you can truly relax by the fire, knowing that you can safely warm your home.

Before a chimney sweep pushes his brush up the chimney, tarps are spread out on the floor and one installed in front of the fire-place opening to keep debris from entering the home.


Arrowhead Woods Architectural CommitteeAnother season has come and gone. As you prepare your home for

winter, please keep these things in mind — especially if you leave your home for the winter:

• Prepare your home for rain, snow and wind. This may include clean-ing out rain gutters and culverts, storing or covering patio furniture, storing trash cans and winterizing your home. For tips about turning off your water during the winter, please visit www.lakearrowheadcsd.com.

• Take a look at your trees. Are branches hanging over your house? If so, it might be time to trim the trees back, away from the structure, for adequate clearance. Fall and winter are the best times to trim pine trees. Just remember that approval from Arrowhead Woods Architectural Committee (AWAC) is required to trim branches on, or remove, any tree which is six inches or more in diameter when measured 4½ feet above the ground. The application process is simple:

• Download the AWAC Application form at www.awac.biz.• Complete the application form and make sure to check ‘tree trim-

ming/removal.’ Most of this application will NOT pertain to you so just fill in the information you have. If you have not selected a contractor, please leave that portion blank.

• Include a description of the proposed tree trimming (i.e., trim pine tree on the east side away from the roof).

• Return the completed application, description of the proposed tree work and the application fee of $50 (cash or check only).

• To expedite your request, fax or e-mail the application and descrip-tion and mail the check.

Upon inspection, you will receive written approval or denial of your request. Remember that tree trimming or removal to obtain a view is not permitted. Fines and fees may be assessed for failure to obtain prior AWAC approval.

As properties change ownership, it is important that all property own-ers know that those within Arrowhead Woods have Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs). These CC&Rs require architectural approval for a variety of modifications.

Here are some examples that require approval.

ALL EXTERIOR MODIFICATIONS, including:Roofing Painting Fencing Retaining WallsHardscape Sheds Additions Remodels New Construction Tree Trimming Solar Panels Dormers Decks Carports Tree Removal StairsSiding Gazebos Adding Windows or Doors

For a Guide to Owning Property in Arrowhead Woods, including Architectural Guidelines for Construction, Forest Management and Tree Care, applications and additional information, please visit our website at www.awac.biz.

We look forward to working with you to preserve the character of Arrowhead Woods for generations to come.

Submitted by Stacey Lippert, Executive Director, AWAC



How to Improve Indoor Air Qualityin Winter

Homes tend to be stuffier in autumn and winter. As temperatures outside dip, windows are closed and air quality inside homes can suffer.

Poor indoor air quality can not only be uncomfortable, causing residents to experience headaches, dry eyes and nasal congestion, but also can be un-healthy. According to the American Lung Association, poor indoor air quality can cause or contribute to the development of infections, lung cancer and chronic lung diseases, such as asthma.

Though it’s not feasible or healthy to open windows when temperatures out-side dip to near or below freezing, there are steps everyone can take to improve the indoor air quality in their homes.

• Add to your décor with plants. Plants provide both aesthetic and prac-tical appeal to a home’s interior. House-plants can clean and purify the air in a home, helping to remove formaldehyde, benzene and other toxins that can make indoor air unhealthy to breathe. Benzene is an irritant that can cause dizziness, headache, nausea, and blurred vision, among other side effects. Formaldehyde, which is often found in homes thanks to its widespread use in a range of prod-ucts, can cause watery eyes, nausea and wheezing.

• Watch what you are lighting up. Many homeowners know that smoking indoors drastically reduces indoor air qual-ity, putting even nonsmokers at height-ened risk of developing various respira-tory ailments. Homeowners concerned about the indoor air quality in their homes should ban smoking inside, no matter how low temperatures dip outside. In addition, homeowners with wood-burning stoves and fireplaces should be especially dili-gent maintaining these features, as they can release harmful soot and smoke if they are not taken care of. Some peo-ple may also be allergic to incense and scented candles, so keep a watchful eye

Get Ready For Winter, 2017 | 27on residents and guests whenever you light candles or sticks of incense. If any symp-toms of allergies appear, avoid lighting any more candles or incense, waiting until you can open the windows if you want to light any again.

• Purchase an air purifier. Air purifiers are beneficial year-round, helping to re-move allergens and particles from a home. High-efficiency particulate air filters, known as HEPA filters, are extremely effective at removing airborne particulates from the air inside your home.

• Pay attention to pets. Like their owners, pets tend to spend more time indoors during the winter. That means more fur and pet dander, the skin flakes in an animal’s fur or hair that can trigger allergic reactions, is likely in your home during the winter than in the summer. To combat this, bathe your pets regularly in the winter, making sure to wash the animal’s bedding in hot water on a weekly basis as well.

• Open the windows when possible. Winter does not typically provide many opportunities to open the windows, but you might get a few chances to let some fresh air in through the windows during winter. Make the most of these opportunities, and when possible crack the windows when you’re clean-ing so dust and other particles that kick up have a path outside of your home.

Clean interior air should be a year-round priority, but homeowners may have to go the extra mile to keep their homes’ interior air clean when winter arrives.

Plants can improve indoor air quality by helping to remove harmful irritants from the air.


Maximize the Efficiency of Your FireplacePower outage is common during a winter

snow storm that could last longer than a day. Those who have a wood or gas stove, or insert, in their fireplaces will be more prepared when faced with such harsh conditions. Now is the time to add a unit that heats your home so that you are not totally dependent upon your furnace as the only heat source.

According to Sue Grove of San Bernardi-no Fireplace and Woodstove Specialties, a fireplace as a heat source is very inefficient. Whether it is gas log or wood, most of the heat escapes up the chimney. Air from the outside enters your home through windows and doors to replace that going up the chim-ney. Most of the fireplaces on the mountain are between a -10% and a +20% efficiency level. By adding a wood burning or gas insert inside your fireplace, you increase its efficien-cy to 70-85%. Gas inserts have two pipes that go up the flue. One brings combustion air down the chimney and the other is for exhaust. Even on windy days, you will not feel cold air coming from your fireplace. The wood inserts have a pipe that goes up the flue and is

sealed off at the top of your fireplace chimney.Regency has a fall special on accessories

that go with the purchase of its products. It is a very popular manufacturer and has a wide variety of gas and wood products. You can see Regency products on San Bernardino Fireplace and Woodstove Specialties’ website, sbfire-place.com.

If your home or the room in which you spend the most time does not have a fireplace, adding a wood or gas stove is the best way to go. Gas stoves come with a remote to control the temperature. Many also control the height of the flame and the blower speed, as well. If you have a two-story home and add a gas stove to an outside wall, you can vent the pipe

directly out the wall.San Bernardino Fireplace and Woodstove Specialties has the

largest showroom in the Inland Empire and is open six days a week, Monday to Saturday from 9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Drop by or call 909-862-1330. The address is 2240 E. Highland Ave. in San Bernardino, just off the 210 Freeway on Highland.

Advertorial


INGREDIENTS4 cups Massel chicken style liquid stock2 teaspoons sunflower oil1 large brown onion, finely chopped1 tablespoon red curry paste2 carrots, peeled, thickly sliced1-1/2 pounds sweet potato (kumara), peeled, coarsely chopped2 teaspoons lime juice1/2 teaspoon brown sugar1/3 cup extra light sour cream1 long fresh red chilli, finely chopped1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in curry paste for 1-2 minutes or until aromatic.

Add the carrot, sweet potato and stock. Bring to the boil. Re-duce heat to low. Simmer for 25-30 minutes or until tender. Cool slightly.

Blend the soup until smooth. Heat over low heat for 2-3 min-utes. Stir in the lime juice and brown sugar. Season.

Combine the sour cream, chilli and coriander in a bowl. Serve with the soup.

www.taste.com.au

Spicy Sweet Potato Soupwith Chilli Coriander Cream

Enjoy a Hot Bowl of Soup on a Cold Winter Day


Winter Sportson the Mountain

Mountain families have the con-venience of participating in downhill skiing or cross country skiing in our own ‘back yard’ every winter. Located just five miles east of Run-ning Springs, both Snow Valley and Rim Nordic are located across from each other on Hwy. 18.

“A new era in Southern Califor-nia skiing and snowboarding begins with Snow Valley’s opening of this high-speed, six-pack chairlift,” says Snow Valley Vice President and General Manager Kevin Somes. “Our guests are excited. We’ve already seen a jump in season pass sales.” This new lift celebrates

Snow Valley’s 80th Season and means that skiers and snowboard-ers will be able to enjoy more runs at Snow Valley.

The Snow Valley Express will greatly reduce lift line wait times, as passengers will ride uphill at more than twice the speed of the fixed-grip chair it is replacing. The new lift is Snow Valley’s first detachable high-speed lift. A detachable lift can slow for pick-up and drop-off from the bottom to the top, respectively, allowing skiers and snowboard-ers time to exit the lift very safely. Also, six-passenger chair lifts can run in high winds, which often put


four-passenger lifts on ‘wind hold’ and stop the transporting of skiers and snowboarders.

In winter 1935-36 at Snow Valley, Southern California got its very first ski lift, a sling lift built by future aviation giant Jack Northrop. It had a 1,400 foot cable and pulled eight people 350 feet to the top of the hill.

December 2017 will witness the opening of the Southland’s first-ever six-passenger chairlift. The Snow Valley Express will carry 2,600 skiers and snowboarders per hour on a 4.6 minute ride, covering 4,636 feet — well over three quarters of a mile. That’s a 1,000-feet-per-minute speed (chairs detach and slow down considerably for passenger loading and unloading).

This six-person chairlift puts Snow Valley in impressive company: only about 75 of North America’s 3,084 chairlifts are six-passenger, including those at iconic ski resorts such as Northern California’s Squaw, Heavenly and Northstar, Colora-do’s Breckenridge, Vail and Keystone and Utah’s Park City.

Snow Valley is known as ‘Southern California’s #1 Fam-ily-Friendly Resort,’ according to Liftopia’s ‘2016-17 Best in Snow Awards’ (#3 in all of California). This honor salutes Snow Valley’s fantastic Snow Sports School, night sessions and lift-served Snow Play (sledding). Advanced skiers and snow-boarders love Snow Valley’s Slide Peak, a legendary Southern California slope with a 35-degree pitch.

For season pass information, call (909) 867-2751.

Rim Nordic Ski Area is the only cross country ski area in Southern California with machine-groomed trails. Families can also enjoy snow shoeing at Rim Nordic. For more informa-tion on rates and hours, contact Bev Brown at (909) 867-2600.

Documents

Mountain News · 6 | Get Ready For Winter, 2017 Protect Your Home from a Big Freeze By Johnny O’Brien, O’Brien Plumbing