Outrageous snow!

[azbackpackr]

Today some friends called to ask if I wanted to join a small group that was going out to xc ski and snowshoe. I wanted to go, but it had been raining. I didn't see much snow on the surrounding hills, either, so I thought we wouldn't find much of anything when we got up there. I hadn't been "up the hill" for a few days, and it had been very warm. But I went anyway, what the heck.

So we all piled into two vehicles along with the equipment and headed up to Alpine. At Nutrioso Flats there had been a roll-over accident, but still no snow. When we got to Nutrioso we got to the snow line. When we got to Talwiwi the snow in the highway was almost a foot deep and hadn't been plowed. One of the vehicles was just a little car, the other an SUV. My pal driving the car got us stuck at one point. We stopped at the turnoff for Williams Valley and they managed to get the cars parked in such a way that they thought they could get them out again.

We skied the Williams Valley road. It kept on snowing. And despite being very pretty, that was the wettest snow I have ever experienced! Within half an hour I was soaking wet, despite gortex shell and fleece etc. etc. blah blah blah, just soaking wet! It wasn't very cold but chilly enough. In order to stay warm I skied like a crazy woman. Got a blister on my heel for all that effort. The snow plastered my jacket and covered my glasses so that I finally just put them in my pocket.

Actually it was pretty fun, except for my very wet mittens. Stupidly I had not put an extra pair in my pack. And I had forgotten my mitten shells. Who needed mitten shells during the entire month of December, when we had nothing but very dry snow and very cold temps? Who would have thought we'd have such a warm snowstorm in January?

At one point about 2 miles up the road my cell phone rang. It was buried in one of those pockets down inside of that confounded REI Flashpack I always like to complain about (comfortable pack, but pockets are unreachable inside.) I couldn't find it in there. It rang and rang. As soon as I put my hand on it of course it stopped ringing. Meanwhile everyone else went on ahead. I decided to see who had called. It was my daughter. I called her back. She said, "Oh, Mom, do you have the number for the local branch of the bank?" Sheesh!

When we got back to the cars the road had been plowed but was getting covered up again quickly. On the drive home I sat in back and dripped all over the upholstery and floor. My pack was soaked, my pants were soaked. My Gore-tex shell jacket over my fleece jacket had kept the rest of me relatively dry.

Forecast is for a LOT more snow, and thankfully, much lower temperatures. Alpine is supposed to get another 18 inches or so on top of what fell today. Hopefully it'll stay good and cold so it doesn't all melt!

[gpsjoe]

Love to hear reports of mega snow in the high country. Not only does it mean great skiing for you snow bunnies but also that we can expect the creeks and streams to be flush with water this coming spring.

[IGO]

Flowers!
_________________
"Surely all God's people, however serious or savage, great or small, like to play. Whales and elephants, dancing, humming gnats, and invisibly small mischievous microbes - all are warm with divine radium and must have lots of fun in them." John Muir

[azbackpackr]

Oh, you desert rats! Yes, creeks and flowers.

About 5 years ago I was out skiing at Pole Knoll. It was early March, very warm, and the snow was melting. I got back to the parking lot and met a couple there and started talking. They were from over in Lakeside. The woman said to me, "The snow is all melting." I said, "Yes, too bad, I think our skiing is over for the year." She said, "But all this melting snow runs down all the creeks. It runs into the White River. The White River runs into the Salt River. The Salt River comes up and rafting season starts. And I have a raft!"

Oh, you can't imagine how I felt when she said that! I had been longing to go rafting, but the commercial trips are too expensive. I would stand by the river at the bottom of Grand Canyon trails on backpacking trips, watching the rafters go by, with tears streaming down my face.

I said, "You have a raft?! Do you need any passengers?"

Later that month, on my 50th birthday I took two of my kids and went with her and her husband on the Salt river! It was really fun, we all got to take turns being the captain or whatever they call it, who sits in the stern and tells the other people when to paddle. Everyone has a paddle in that type of raft. I went one other time two years later and I can't wait to go again! Come Feb. I'll be watching the USGS river data site and making arrangements to go. Maybe a multiple day trip this time, who knows?

[maryphyl]

Let me see if I can send some pictures of our yard--we are snowbound!! Mary
_________________
Shikekeh hozhoogo naasha.
I walk in beauty.

[maryphyl]

Well, I guess not--sorry. It sure is deep and beautiful. Just look at your Christmas cards. mp


Try this
_________________
Shikekeh hozhoogo naasha.
I walk in beauty.

[azbackpackr]

Oh, sorry, would have liked to see! It snowed here all day long, but only about 4 inches actually stuck! It is just too warm. I think up in Alpine, Greer or Hannagan it probably stuck pretty well. I'll bet they have a couple of feet or more!

[azbackpackr]

This snow is sticking. If you have been thinking of going to the mtns to play in it now's the time! It's going to warm up a little this week, but not a lot. Should be sunny but chilly.

[IGO]

Charleston is snowed in. Covered top to foot.
_________________
"Surely all God's people, however serious or savage, great or small, like to play. Whales and elephants, dancing, humming gnats, and invisibly small mischievous microbes - all are warm with divine radium and must have lots of fun in them." John Muir