Snow lingers into summer in winter-weary Boston

The people complaining about the heat this summer seem to be the same people who complained about the cold and snow last winter.

But in Boston, they're able to do both.

While Bostonians and others around the country swelter in the July heat and ponder beaches and ice-cold things to drink, Boston's Seaport district is sporting a stubborn, filthy mound of leftover snow that refuses to go away.

The 12-foot-high mound of ice-encased trash is actually the last of 11 snow farms Boston created in the wake of its record snowfall winter. The 2014-2015 season yielded 108.6 inches of snow recorded at Logan International Airport, according to the National Weather Service. Those figures made it the snowiest season on record for the New England city.

But it could be worse.

The mound was once 75-feet high.

In fact, Bostonians seem to be embracing the dirty pile frequented by gulls. It has evolved into an informal, urban landmark set in an industrial part of town. People shoot pictures of themselves with it as a backdrop, The New York Times reports. And Mayor Martin Walsh has launched a contest via Twitter asking people to guess the day when the mound will finally melt into oblivion. The winner gets a meeting with the mayor.

But not everyone sees raw beauty when looking at the mound.

"As it's been melting, it's gotten pretty gross," Tim Pederson, 28, who passes the mound on his way to work, told the Times. "Now it's disgusting."

What has made the mound resistant to melting in the sunshine, even as temperatures reached 82 degrees Tuesday, is that when the snow was plowed, pieces of debris were picked up along with it. That trash has helped insulate the mound from sun and warmth.

Some believe that could cause the mound to be around for awhile — no matter how many dog days Boston sees this summer.

"It's solid ice," Michael Dennehy, commissioner of public works, told the Times. "It could be here 'til September."