Spring alpenglow on Mount Shasta.
The last week here in Mount Shasta has been an odd brew of beautiful, boring and wintry conditions. We had some clear, warm days followed by some rain and snow. It never got cold enough for the snow to accumulate more than a couple of inches but the precipitation coming hot on the heals of a couple gorgeous days made things seem considerably drearier than they really were. Several times I headed out thinking I was going to get a good lenticular image but I was repeatedly skunked all week. They formed a few times, but never anything grand. It was frustrating but I was glad to be able to get out and capture some images of the mountain nonethless.
All of this has, of course, been in the midst of the social distancing we find ourselves in. My wife and I have always homeschooled our kids so very little has actually changed for us, since her work is considered “essential”. While we have kept our distance from friends, family and such, we have continued to take the kids out on hikes. If anything has changed, we have focused our trips out on areas that are highly unlikely to see other people and thus far that has certainly been the case. They never tire of getting outside and exploring and are glad for the coming of spring and the increased frequency of the trips and the chance to enjoy this amazing, if benighted, world.
My youngest son marvels at the mysterious “Tangle Tree”. This ponderosa pine is actually alive!
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- Not large, but an oft overlooked waterfall.
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- A nice cave in some boulders. It reminds me of the Indian Caves in Yosemite.
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- Speaking of Yosemite, you can’t beat a granite bathtub like this.
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- The kids enjoy exploring creeks and rivers, especially if there are no trails.
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- Respecting the water, even if it isn’t “nature”.
The weather itself was hit or miss during the week. The end of last week was gorgeous and the kids thrived in the warm, sunny spring weather. We had some great hikes before the weather turned. The weekend was snowy (hopefully for the last time this winter) and then the temperatures gradually climbed again. The clouds have been really hit or miss. I kept thinking we were going to get a great lenticular but, although some small ones formed, nothing was ever able to quite pull itself together. I think I am getting too picky and I ought to be grateful to just see the mountain (I am, but I am still picky!).
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- April Fools Day sunrise on Mount Shasta.
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- Looking south from Mount Shasta, the cloudy Castle Crags catch the morning light.
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- Cloud iridescence makes for an interesting morning on Mount Eddy.
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- Not a great shot, but its nice to see a very white Ash Creek Butte.
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- One sunset featured some interesting waves to the east of Mount Shasta.
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- After the rain finally went away on Monday, the evening featured a great moonrise, some nice clouds and a lenticular. Unfortunately it never quite came together for a great image.
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- The rising moon and the fading light on Mount Shasta.
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- Looking west toward the last light above the Little Scott Mountains.
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- I was sure Tuesday morning would feature a lenticular. I was wrong but it was still a very beautiful morning.
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- There may not have been any great disks above the mountain but an interesting wave formed below the summit.
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- Of course, there was a great, cloudy dome over Black Butte, which was pretty cool in its own right.
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- There was a lot of drama as the trees faded into and out of view.
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- Tuesday evening the clouds looked to offer a nice sunset.
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- Nice clouds, good color and a little lenticular formed, capping off a frustrating but very beautiful week.
In the end, it was a good week and I am glad to see us finally moving into a sustained period of warm spring weather. The current forecast has highs in the 60’s for at least the next 10 days. We’ll see what comes next! I pray that everyone continues to endure and thrive through these unusual circumstances. I suspect we are nearing the end of this!
The Tuesday morning non-lenticular is my favorite. I love the pale gold grass. ❤