Snow storms of the 1970s

By Joan Janzen

If you’ve been around long enough to remember the decade of the 1970s, you’ll recall visions of towering piles of snow on the prairies. The Esther and District history book “Sage Brush and Sifting Sand” captured some of those memories. A local resident by the name of Doreen Trevor described two notable storms that hit the Esther area during that decade.

Donald Parks standing on the plowed snow ridge near Esther’s cemetery following the snow storm of March 14, 1974. Photo: Sage Brush and Sifting Sand

For  nearly two weeks in February, 1974, Doreen reported she and her family had to go over a 14 foot snowbank with a snowmobile in order to get out of their yard. That year the snow storms continued into mid-March.

The year 1978 was also a memorable year for snow storms throughout the prairies. Blizzards during the first week of February resulted in schools closing and people being stranded. Doreen Trevor remembered it well, as her parents from Birch Hills, Sask. had come for a visit. Their visit was extended when they became stranded after the storm, but they weren’t the only ones.

Doreen said they also rescued several people, including four men who were working at a gas well. By the end of the day there were ten people in their home who kept occupied by playing cards and games and eating mounds of food. They had the advantage of having lots of help shovelling, which enabled the family to do chores, and they took the snowmobile to Esther to replenish supplies.

And on a personal note, I confess vividly recalling the snow storm that hit most of Saskatchewan during the first week of February, 1978. I was in my senior year of high school, schools shut down, busses didn’t run and I was stranded on the family farm for a week. So when the roads were cleared prior to February 14th, I was desperate to get off the farm. Which is why I agreed to go on a blind date which my friend had arranged. Fast forward to February, 2024, when I am still with my blind date partner (husband). You just never know what happens after a blizzard.