Hike Mt. Shasta

Fresh snow blows off of Mount Shasta on a glorious bluebird morning.

Tonight marks 2 weeks of steady snow in the Mount Shasta area. As I write this, it is snowing yet again, with nearly a foot having come down already today. Prior to the storm today, I have gotten 74 inches of snow since the night of February 23rd (I live at a higher elevation than Mount Shasta City and get more snow because of it). It has been a lot of work, to say the least. Not only has there been a lot of snow, but the cloud cover has been nearly constant, blotting out the sun the sun and mountain. At times, it has felt oppressive, even though the precipitation remains a welcome blessing. Thankfully, a lull in the storm Wednesday morning yielded the first clear blue sky in almost two weeks. With fresh snow abundant, it was the very blessing of a “bluebird day”.  It was a welcome respite from the gloom of the storm.

On my way home from taking my daughter to school, I could not resist stopping and pulling out my camera and catching the beauty that makes the drive to and from school such a treat. The landscape is always glorious on days like this, when the snow is deep and the sunlight warming. The ice glitters, giving the land a dazzling magnificence. By noon the clouds were gathering and early afternoon saw the snow falling again. This last round of the storm is the cresendo, as tomorrow is supposed to be clear. I may have a second round of bluebird images. After this, a week of rain is forecast. This is hopeful, as it will quickly melt the snow (though I hate the rainy slop that comes) and means the temperatures are starting to warm, a harbinger that spring is nearly here. Hasten the day!