While October has been an exceedingly dry month, it certainly has gotten prettier the deeper into autumn we have gotten. Although there have not been any of the lenticulars that presage the changing weather patterns (how could there be? There’s been little change in the weather!) the skies have gotten more interesting and the leaves on the trees have continued to change color. The oaks, in particular, are looking nice. Towards the end of the month, we did a day of rain that left a little snow on Mount Shasta. It’s always refreshing to see the mountain white again after a long summer – longer this year because of the exceedingly dry October. Still, we’ll take it when we can get it.
I headed out to Echo Point for the sunrise the day after it rained. The thin, crispy layer of snow was visible even when the mountain was in shadow but it looked even better once the glow of the sunrise started to lower down below the snow level.
All told, a glorious sunrise, and the fresh snow on the mountain was reinvigorating. Autumn is the best but it is better with a white mountain. After the warm October, it was great to see it all coming back together. Better late than not at all.
Heading back into town, the wind was whipping the snow off the flanks of the mountain. Rather than the typical snow banners, it was stirring the snow into large plumes that clung to the upper crags.
The fall color hasn’t been great this year but in town it was starting to look decent, with a nice mix of reds, golds and some greens. I love how there is a great view like this right from the main intersection in town. It is really tough to beat!
It all ended in an absolutely magnificent sunset. It wasn’t one that was graced with a lenticular but the clouds were awesome and the colors were unbelievably vivid. Now I need more!
