Clear Skies and a Late February Snowstorm

A pretty typical late February weekend at home. Saturday and Sunday were beautiful, with the kind of deep blue sky you only get at this altitude. We spent the days up on the mountain, lapping runs under the sun. From the summit, you could see the whole lake, so still and reflective under a low band of clouds on the far side. The snow was holding up well, and it was just good to be outside.

The weather shifted on Monday. The sky turned a flat, uniform gray and the temperature dropped. The lifts, which had been busy, were suddenly quiet and empty as the clouds rolled in, obscuring the views we'd had just the day before. You could feel the change in the air.

Soon enough, the snow started. It came down thick and fast, blanketing the trees and muffling all the sound. Everything just goes quiet during a heavy snowfall. While looking out, I spotted a hawk perched on a thick pine branch, just sitting patiently as the flakes collected on its back. A quiet end to the stretch of days.