The teamsters dragged the sticks out to the skidroads, and put them on the sleigh to be taken to the skidway. Here they were stockpiled beside the river bank or lake edge to await the spring breakup of ice and the drive downriver. Generally the Ottawa watershed had a suitable snowfall and climate pattern to ensure continued forest growth and sufficient moisture for the spring runoff. Variations in the climate could make or break a company's season. Too favorable a winter could glut the market with too much timber. Sudden thaws or an early or late winter also meant losses. Too deep a snowfall could hamper the transporting of supplies to the shanty or the skidding of timber to the river banks to await the spring drive. The water-levels of the rivers and streams posed several problems. If the spring level reached flood conditions, the beginning of the drive would have to be delayed until the waters subsided. During the drive the water levels could change drastically resulting in broken booms if the water rose too quickly, or beached sticks if it dropped.
