Our campus was covered in a thin blanket of glittering white snow. This is obviously rare for the area, and has even more novelty for students who moved to Humboldt from areas that do not receive snow often. Pretty much everyone I know was really excited. They were running around, throwing snowballs, and making snowmen. I, however, was less than thrilled by the ice crystals falling from the sky.
I grew up in Colorado, where I dealt with snow for up to five months every year for the first 18 years of my life. When I was a kid, I played outside in the snow. When I was in middle school I learned how to snowboard. When I was a teenager, I learned to drive in the snow.
I’m used to waking up to find my car frozen and spending twenty minutes defrosting it and scraping the ice off. My usual 20 minute drive to school became a 40 minute drive when the roads were icy; it’s probably safe to say that the novelty of snow has worn off for me.
The weather in Humboldt county was a big factor in my decision to move here. I love that it never gets super cold or super hot, and I love the rain. Most of all, I love that I am not inconvenienced by snow.
You can call me dramatic – I am and I will continue to be. You can ask me where my childhood sense of wonder is. You can say I don’t appreciate the whimsical things in life. This is blatantly untrue; I am as whimsical as they come.
I am not trying to rain, or snow, on anyone else’s parade. Enjoy the snow all you want. Personally, I will be inside, under my heated blanket, trying to keep warm.
Wednesday, Feb. 22, was a day of anticipation. Students and professors alike abandoned lectures to fix their noses to frosted window panes, gazing at the snow swirling from the white sky. Some watched the snow with dread, some watched with childlike wonder. Like everyone else, I went to bed that night expecting that the fitful flurries of flakes would falter overnight. After all, it never snows on the coast.
On the morning of Thursday the 23rd, I awoke to discover that the spirit of Jack Frost had ejaculated on our sleeping town. I finished my coffee as I watched the white blanket on my lawn grow thicker, then began to bundle up for the ride to class. I chose my outfit with warmth and winter whimsy in mind – from inside to outside, I wore two pairs of socks, long johns, an undershirt, a long sleeve tee, a sweater, a heavy jacket, a shawl, leather gloves, and finally sealed it off with a scarf tied about my head like a babushka.
The trip to class was like riding my bike through hyperspace. Blowing snow swirled and buffeted me, but I was well dressed for the weather. I smiled a rosy, windblown grin at the huddled silhouettes of students walking to class in hoodies and sneakers.
‘Probably from SoCal,’ I thought smugly.
There are no snow days for college students, but we find our fun in other ways. Normally, I am not one to linger after class. On Thursday morning, however, I found myself standing in the courtyard of Founder’s Hall, soaking in the tranquility of the scene. My classmate Adam had begun to build a snowman. His bare hands were bright red as he rolled the snowball across the grass.
“Mind if I join ya?,” I asked.
He didn’t. For the next twenty minutes I used my gloves to roll balls of snow across the courtyard, gathering mass like the Prince of all the Cosmos in Katamari Damacy. I would heft the finished ball to Adam, who would then glue it onto the previous ball with handfuls of snow. When we were finished with the primary construction, we began to scour the ground for decorations with which to festoon our frosty friend. Adam dressed him with stone buttons and sculpted his handsome face, and into his mouth I placed a fat joint made of a curl of bark. Humboldt snowmen stay stoned.
The snow wouldn’t stick around for long, but Adam and I talk to each other in class now. We’re friendly. Whenever something out of the ordinary happens, humans love to share it with one another. We cannot help but beckon each other outside to play in the snow.
As adults we aren’t able to experience the snow like we did as children. It becomes an inconvenience, a hazard through which to drive, moisture in the hair, a cold touch on the neck. But we can still claim the small moments of whimsy and joy that come when the sky turns white. I loved the snow.
It’s been a record high year for rain and snow according to N.O.A.A., so to escape the wet coast, students head for the snowy mountains to get their adrenaline fix.
A group of Humboldt State students load up their cars with warm clothes, snowboards, skis, and sleds as they head 40 minutes out of Arcata to hit the fresh snow. | Photo by Ryan Wiegman
Skis and snowboards loaded in the bed of a pickup truck early Saturday morning. Horse Mountain, according to Six Rivers National Forest, hasn’t had a significant amount of snow in a several years, but this year there is about 3 feet of snow. That’s enough to cover rocks and small trees, and allow Humboldt residents to safely play in the snow. | Photo by Ali Osgood
Environmental engineering senior, Derek Roelle, gears up to walk a quarter mile down the snowy road to the open slopes. | Photo by Ryan Wiegman
Clayton Kelley, a senior recreation administration, tries out a new line. He has been skiing since he was five and visits Horse Mountain a few times a month in the winter. | photo by Ryan Wiegman
Recreation administration senior Sara Schneider values escaping into nature between her busy weekdays. “Skis get degrees,” Schneider said as she looked back at her roommate who just face planted in the snow. | Photo by Ryan Wiegman
HSU alumnus Harry Ward carves into the fresh snow on Saturday. He drove up from Lake Tahoe and was surprised by the quality of snow in Humboldt County. “I thought it was gonna be way worse,” Ward said. | Photo by Ryan Wiegman
Dylan Fluet attempts to ‘Mary Poppins’ his way off the cliff. “It didn’t work” Fluet admitted. | Photo by Ryan Wiegman
Marina Marcroft and Jake Campbell watch as Fluet and Roelle try sledding over a drop off into a small creek. | Photo by Ali Osgood
After sledding out of control into the freezing creek, Fluet poses for a Snapchat. “If you didn’t get a picture, it didn’t happen,” Fluet said. | Photo by Ali Osgood
Kelley sends a front flip off a jump he built earlier that week. He’s been skiing since he was five and is always looking to push his limits. | Photo by Ryan Wiegman
Marina Marcroft sleds down a short slope while her friends took a break. The sun came out for about 30 minutes between heavy snowfall. | Photo by Ali Osgood
(From left) Jake Campbell, Derek Roelle, Marina Marcroft, and Dylan Fluet enjoy a hot meal and a cold beer after a long day in the snow. | Photo by Ali Osgood
Clayton Kelley hikes up a cliff on Titlow Hill in the Horse Mountain Botanical Area. “Being able to see the ocean and ski is pretty incredible,” Kelley said. “It’s one of the few places in California where it is even possible.” | Photo by Ryan Wiegman
It is unusual to see snow in Eureka. Thanks to Vampire Penguin Shaved Snow and Desserts, the business has brought a unique treat for HSU students, families, and locals to enjoy. Since their grand opening on Feb 13, 2015, Vampire Penguin has made it possible for people to enjoy the taste of ice cream in a low calorie and non-dairy way.
Sophia Linklater is the supervisor at Vampire Penguin.
“It’s the perfect combination of ice cream flavor and freshly fallen snow,” Linklater said. “Customers enjoy the taste and how the desserts are served to them as a work of art.”
Vampire Penguin is a popular chain restaurant created by two brothers according to Linklater. There are seven Vampire Penguin locations in California. The first one opened in October of 2013 in San Luis Obispo. Because it opened on Halloween, the brothers found the name Vampire Penguin suitable.
Snow Tiger, another customer favorite at Vampire Penguin. Thai tea shaved snow topped with crushed Oreos and condensed milk. Feb. 10, 2017. Photo by Erin Chessin.
It’s not shaved ice, nor is it ice cream. The dessert is ice cream tasting, however it doesn’t weigh heavy in calories and the flavor of the snow is derived from non-dairy cream. The snowball is decorated with toppings such as fruit, condensed milk or candy. Then either chocolate, caramel or fruit sauce is drizzled over.
“Once you have your first bite, it melts in your mouth just like fresh, powdery snow would,” Linklater said.
Prices of the shaved snow ranges from $3 to $9, depending on how elaborate the dessert is. Customers can either order a small or a large size, which differentiates in price too.
Vampire Penguin’s most popular dessert is the Strawberry Cheesecake, which is strawberry and vanilla shaved snow, decorated with fresh strawberries, raspberries and graham crackers. Strawberry and white chocolate sauce is draped over the dessert, the last step to decorating the snowball. Other customer dessert favorites include the S’moreos and the Twix.
The process of creating the shaved snow takes time Linklater said. Scott Merriam, the owner of the Vampire Penguin Eureka location, comes in once a week to take the pre-made ice blocks and infuse the different ice cream flavors. The flavors Merriam makes are just like regular ice cream flavors, including chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, coconut, green tea, taro, cookies and cream, and coffee.
Linklater learned how to make the desserts from Merriam along with her co-worker Becca Scholte who is an HSU alumni and supervisor at Vampire Penguin.
“Each of us have our own creativity, and the job allows our inner-artist come out,” Scholte said.
Once the ice blocks have been infused with the flavor, the ice is shaved down to a snow-like consistency, then put into smaller individual molds. The ice is then taken out of its mold and put on a plate when ready to be decorated with dessert sauce or other toppings.
When a customer walks into the store, they have a large menu with many different dessert options to choose from. From the menu, a customer can pick a Menu Special or create their own. If a customer creates their own dessert, they pick the flavor and get one free topping when they order a small size or two free toppings if they order a large size dessert. Customers also have the option to buy a thai tea boba drink on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Mia Pambianco, a freshman at HSU and a Humboldt County local, said Vampire Penguin is one of her favorite places to go for a treat. “I go every time I have a chance,” Pambianco said. “I think it’s an awesome place for dessert because it’s unique.” Pambianco suggests the Coffee Crush, which is made of coffee flavored snow, topped with crushed pretzels, and cocoa powder with chocolate and caramel sauce drizzled all over.
The Vampire Penguin menu, including the Menu Specials. Feb. 10, 2017. Photo by Erin Chessin.
Vampire Penguin is located on 3144 Broadway Suite C5 in Eureka, CA. They are open Tuesday through Sunday and are closed on Mondays. Tuesday through Thursday they open at noon and close at 9 p.m. On the weekends they stay open till 10 p.m.
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