Before the Rain

 

Yesterday morning it was 26 degrees, and there was a big storm rolling in off of the Gulf of Alaska. By the time I went to work it was already above freezing. By lunchtime it was pouring in town.  Still I had a feeling it might be snowing on the mountain.  So when I got off work at 1 PM I rushed home, grabbed the dogs and headed up to the pass.

Driving to the mountain I noticed that there was even snow on the golf course.  Then at the switchbacks (see pictures below) the precipitation turned from sleet at the bottom to all snow at the top.  Things were looking up!

At the Pyramid parking lot there was a couple inches of wet snow and it was snowing hard.  I was very happy to head up in the snow because it was much more dry with the snow bouncing off of my clothing rather than the alternative.  But as I headed up I noticed that the rain was turning to sleet - egads!

On high there was a 1/2 foot or so of dry powder.  It was getting even a little too deep for the dogs.  But then on the way down I ran into the rain.  Just while I was up there the rain/snow line migrated almost 1000 feet up the mountain.  Oh No!  By the time I got back to the car I was soaked.  Back home I took a 1/2 hot shower to warm up.

Today it is pouring and blowing a gale.  But yesterday I got in my ski!

Patrick

Photo from my iPad that I sent Nora from bottom of switchbacks

all snow at the top of the switchbacks!

Brewster doing his 'excited to get going' dance

Bode contemplates the rain down below

Seed Pods and Deflated Berries

 

Yesterday on my ski I intended to take a picture of 'berries in the snow'.  One of my co-workers requested such a picture for graphic arts purposes.  So I went up intending to take a picture of red, fully ripe berries nestling in the new powder snow.  

When I got up on high I found an inch of dry, new powder snow - perfect! This was going to be easy.  Only I could not find any berries.  They had already done the freeze and thaw thing so many times that they were all deflated.  They already looked like they do in the spring when the snow melts away and reveals the detritus of late fall - deflated and tired looking.

But the dried seed pods sticking up through the snow did look good silhouetted against the new snow.  So I shifted my focus and took 'dried seed pod in snow' pictures instead.

Patrick

Deflated berries - not very inspiring

This helicopter hovered over me while I was taking a picture - I think they were a little miffed about what I was doing up there

Cold sunshine

 

It's been cold lately.  Yesterday I noticed that the frost on the lawn did not even melt away during the day, and the last 2 nights the temperatures have dropped into the 20's.  

I harvested a bunch of carrots and even some lettuce a couple of days ago.  I was going to harvest everything, but I noticed it is supposed to warm up again.  So I covered the beds with tarps, and am going to uncover them again tomorrow.  My plan is to see how long I can keep the garden going.  It is down to kale, carrots and lettuce.  But everything stays fresher when 'on the vine' so to speak.  So this year I plan on keeping the garden going as long as I can.

Patrick

Ski season begins

 

Yesterday the kids and I joined up with a couple of 'ski regulars' and climbed up Pyramid for a ski.  Driving to the mountain Nora was very skeptical - from the antenna field you could see NO SNOW on the mountain.  And even at the parking lot there was little to be seen in the way of snow on high.  I have been skiing the last few days, but even I was a little worried.  It did rain hard Saturday night so maybe all the snow had washed away?

And then on the way up the mountain it started to rain hard.  Ughhhhhhhhh.  But we got to the top, it cleared off, and there was snow!  Enough snow that we even did multiple runs.  And all declared that it was 'surprisingly' good skiing.  By the time we headed down the mountain it was blue skies above and a warm fall day.  A stunning day.

And so begins the 2021/2022 winter ski season!

Patrick

Fall Routine

 

We're getting deep into Fall now.  Hunting and field seasons are over, the garden is mostly put away, and things are slowing down.  We are fast approaching my favorite time of the year - winter!

This is the time of year when there are less commitments, more dog walks and always the daily ski.  It's still early for skiing, but for the last 5 days I've been taking the dogs up every day.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the snow is here to stay.  

And soon, hopefully, there will be ice skating!

Patrick

On Friday Jason joined the dogs and I for our daily ski

October Snow

 

It's October and there is enough snow on Pyramid for skiing.  This year I got in my first ski on October 20th which is earlier than usual.  Normally my first ski is sometime in November.  But what's really unusual is that the skiing is actually pretty good.  It is heavy and has already filled in the holes.  Normally the first time you go skiing you bounce right through the snow to the ground below.  

I've been taking the dogs up and have been using a pair of backcountry XC skis with metal edges.  So my ski has been more of a cross country rather than downhill excursion.  Now lets hope the snow sticks around!  

Patrick