Winter's Arrival - A Shocked Landscape

Winter's arrival

After a month of unseasonably warm weather, a ferocious blizzard last Sunday proclaimed winter’s arrival. The snow fell as fast as the temperature dropped, coating the shocked landscape in sparkling crystals.

A misty atmosphere shrouded the mountains in a palette of monochrome color. With the absence of light, aerial perspective was exaggerated as scattered pine trees seemed to recede and disappear into the distance.

The morning after, clear skies sent bitterly cold air seeping into aching bones. Breaking trail through deep drifts while trudging through the frozen wilderness was an almost impossible endeavor.

The worst part about being out during that frigid sunrise was the howling wind that unleashed a ruthless beatdown. A tremendous gale force was funneled down into the valley taking your breath away.

Granules of powdered snow sprinkled across the meadow were shaped in writhing patterns that resembled the shifting sands of a great, white desert. Sharp pebbles of ice spattered my face producing tears that made it difficult to distinguish any progress gained.

After the turnaround with the wind at my back, the gradual descent over unstable terrain quickened to a faster pace. A cautious approach with respect to the harrowing elements prevented any problems from occurring at the finish.

Experiencing the full fury of an awesome storm by placing one’s self in duress is the only way to truly understand the mountains' merciless nature. I must say, though, I was pretty content to get back into a cozy home and spend the rest of the day watching Netflix.

A ferocious blizzard

Coated in crystals

Monochrome mountain landscape

Scattered pine trees

A frozen wilderness

Snow sprinkled across the meadow

Understanding the mountains

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