The twinkling of snow on a bare branch. A bird rests, then flutters away, and a smattering of snow falls to the ground. I listen intently to the silence. Fire in my lungs, spasms up and down the legs. Out here is where I need to lay down, rest, forever. I keep on walking until…
Tag: snow
Bryce Canyon hiking after a winter snow storm (part 1)
Most of my life thus far has been all about luck. Something that initially seemed to ruin a plan or situation turns out to have been just what needed to happen for something truly amazing to follow suit. That is probably the best way to explain it. Take how a rain storm that last all…
Finding Sycamore Falls in the snow
I think this was my fourth attempt to try and find Sycamore Falls. Deep into the depths of Winter up in Northern Arizona, I slowly bounce along muddy roads as dark clouds swirl above me. It’s about two minutes from starting to snow again. I decide to hike from a new location, and soon the…
Time stands still the longer I stay at the Old Faithful snow lodge in Yellowstone
The storm of the century rolls over The West. I pull the blanket up closer to my chin and wait for a new day to dawn. Akin to a Las Vegas casino, clocks mysteriously are nowhere to be found here in the lodge. Makes it easier to just enjoy your surroundings. I venture back out…
The Birthing Cave
It’s just before 7 a.m. and the lyrics to “Mother Earth” are rolling around my brain as I hope to find the Birthing Cave out in here in Sedona. “You know when you’re bornYou first see light of dayThrough a gap in your mother’s legsIt’s the truthAnd from that minute onMost of us guysAnd some…
Long Canyon Vortex
The storm that I could feel approaching in my bones while camping in Colossal Cave came the day after I left. It covered most of Arizona in a blanket of snow, and if you have never seen Saguaro’s under a blanket of white, I highly recommend it. Snow never lasts long though here in the…
Coconino in Winter
The snow just kept falling in the North Country of Coconino. Harsh yet beautiful were the road conditions. He finds the gate, unlocks the entry, and then closes it again with a loud thud. Only a black crow hears the sound. He carries on into the unknown. The icy road is treacherous as he slowly…
The Nordic Center
This past winter in Northern Arizona has had epic snowfall. I believe the most snow in something like one hundred years at the local ski resort. I found a little place called The Nordic Center that has trails for skiing and snowshoeing, as well as simple cabins and yurts that you can rent. It was…
Arizona Snowbowl
“I’m going to try and find some snow this weekend.” “In Arizona?” Lets bust some myths about Arizona. Although the Valley of the Sun has no snow, one only has to venture a couple of hours northward to find an entirely new landscape in this diverse State, one that is full of mountains, high desert…
Snowmobiling in the San Juans
As the train slows to a stop in the mountain town of Rockwood, I spot the white van in the sparsely filled parking lot. I exit and start to make my way towards a tall, lanky young gent. “Are you the one that wants to snowmobile?” “Oh yeah. Am I the only one?” It…
The Piedra river trail
A few short miles off the main road that goes through Pagosa Springs one finds themselves in the midst of endless snowy fields with the San Juan mountains in the background. Going off an old topographical map, I park near to where I believe the trail head begins, strap on my snowshoes, and forage my…
Stewart’s cascades
Our infamous Utah snow has arrived in glorious amounts, creating a lovely winter wonderland for those of us brave enough to venture outside. Today I hike the Mount Timpanogos trail head, searching for the way to Stewart Falls. Early morning temperatures are still in the single digits, and the sweat from the first few hundred…