Winter

A snowman greets High Line visitors in 2011. Photo by Karen Blumberg

As we speak, snow is blanketing New York City.

High Line Maintenance and Operations staff are readying their shovels, snow brooms, and ice picks for the estimated 10–14 inches of snow that the city will be receiving in the next 24 hours. Tomorrow, while most of us are still sleeping, they will begin clearing the High Line's pathway and stairs in order to open the park to the public as soon as possible. For the first time, our staff will be joined by dedicated Snow Volunteers who will help us complete this huge task.

While snow means more work at the High Line, it also means more fun! With enough accumulation anticipated, we’ll be holding a High Line Snow Sculpt-Off tomorrow from 2:30 – 4:00 PM. Our photo of the week this week is one of our favorites from our last Snow Sculpt-Off in 2011, by High Line Photographer Karen Blumberg, showing a snowman greeting High Line visitors. Your imagination is the limit during the Snow Sculpt-Off, when adults and families compete to create snow masterpieces.

We hope you’ll join us!

Learn more about the High Line Snow Sculpt-Off.

Bundle up and get ready for some wintertime exercise. Join our team of snow volunteers. Photo by Marcin Wichary

It's all hands on deck when snow arrives in New York City, and we'd love your help!

Family Feather Flurry brought together nearly 40 children and their caregivers for a winter scavenger hunt on the High Line, followed by crafts and storytelling at Posman Books.

On Sunday, February 5, children and caregivers joined us for the Family Feather Flurry, a High Line Kids scavenger hunt that explored the High Line’s winter landscape from a bird’s perspective. Following clues about the High Line’s unique plants and flowers, families made their way toward West 16th Street. From there everyone headed to the program’s next stop, Posman Books in Chelsea Market, to decorate their bird puppets and listen to stories.

Enjoy photos from the event and download the High Line scavenger hunt for your kids after the jump.

What is going on in this video?

You might think the light show is part of a public art installation or ambiance for a dance party, but this is what it looks like in the moments before a black-out on the High Line.

Managing one mile of park built on an elevated freight rail line presents unique operational challenges. Like any building in the city, the High Line has millions of dollars worth of mechanical systems – lighting and electrical infrastructure, plumbing and irrigation, and more – and it’s all connected to the city’s utility lines. When the power supply is cut nearby, it can affect the lighting system at the High Line.

High Line Gardener Kaspar Wittlinger leads a tool tune-up session for High Line Gardeners and High Line Volunteers. Here he shows the group the proper technique for sharpening a pair of pruning shears.

At this time of year, we get this question all the time: “What do the gardeners do in the winter?”

There is noticeably less activity in the planting beds on the High Line in the winter, but our gardeners are just as busy. They take advantage of the lull in the growing season to plan and prepare for the year to come, and they are also called into action to help ensure the park is safe for the public after snow and ice storms. Here’s a little insight into what the High Line Gardeners are up to in the colder months of the year.