Was reminded by a friend of the last elk hunt I was on that I harvested one. One night after it'd snowed about 18" the sky broke and got real clear and cold. I remember walking out into the middle of a large field near camp towards midnight, the cold silver glow of the full moon seemed incredibly bright from the reflection of the white powder swirling along like some Neptunian sand dune wisps, and the harsh bite of the north wind on my face brought a clarity of thought to my mind. It was as if to take another step from the field into the darkness was to make the transition from a world limited in dimension and depth into one of being that was wholly foreign to me; almost like stepping off a cliff into a freefall perhaps.

Some moments can last the better part of a lifetime. Amazing how, given that time is a constant, our perceptions seldom are.

Last Easter I went for a walk at Vedauwoo near Laramie, WY. Everything was shrouded in fog and the trees and bushes had sprouted tiny frostsicles in every direction from the twigs and branches and there was a light layer of snow on the ground. It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. I was disappointed that there wasn't anyone there to share it, and yet I didn't feel the slightest bit lonely even though there wasn't anyone for miles.

Its important to remember that we aren't alive to be prepared. We prepare so we can go out and be alive.

Years ago I used to work graveyard shift on the Grapevine in the winter. Right after a storm, lots of snow everywhere, clouds would pass by, full moon, everything glowing. Beautiful. Few days later, I remember standing for over three hours, my partner and I holding a plastic blanket over two accident victims to keep the snow off of them, waiting for a snow plow to lead an ambulance into the scene. One later died, mainly from exposure. I hate the dreaded white stuff, pretty as it can be.

The Grapevine...

Now there'a place that I don't miss. I didn't like it when it was clear, dry and daylight. I hated it when it rained, and the one time it was starting to snow just a little, it scared the bejesus out of me.

And they called that section of 101 south of San Jose "Blood Alley"!

Sue

"...snow just a little, it scared the bejesus out of me..."

That is why is it either open or closed. No chain control, none of that stuff. CA drivers, for the most part, can not handle snow. So the CHP and CalTrans try not to give them a chance. Snow starts to stick, close the sucker. If you take a look, the on-ramps at Grapevine and Lake Hughes Road have gates on them. And the Chippies have a key to the lock. (I still do too, but don't tell anyone)...

Hi Susan

If you want a scary place in the winter this is the place to be.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=VF3ApVj0VI0

I don't think I'll be buying tickets anytime soon.

And you're the namesake of that place? Now THAT'S scary!

Sue

Try this... Labrador (part of Newfoundland, eastern Canada) from back in 2004:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.thedieselgypsy.com/LAB-SNOW13.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.thedieselgypsy.com/Labrador%2520Snow.htm&h=600&w=800&sz=65&hl=en&start=7&um=1&tbnid=fmlUhDw3BxMQyM:&tbnh=107&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dnewfoundland%2Bsnow%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den

And heres the highway plowed:
http://www.thedieselgypsy.com/LAB-SNOW13.jpg

I remember sitting in front of my lean-to, talking to my friend across the fire that had burned down to ashes and about to turn in for the night. Hearing a noise we went quiet and spent the next 10 min. watching a herd of deer wander through the camp picking at the grasses we had uncovered during the day while setting up camp. They wandered in and through our camp without a care in the world even though they were the reason we were here. We watched without ever thinking of reaching for our bows. The next morning we started hunting, but it started snowing hard enough to get everything to bed down, and it didn't let up the entire time we were there. We never got our buck, but agreed it was one of our most successful hunts, and if you don't agree remember a bad day hunting is better than a good day at work.

Snow-tubing with the siblings on a moonlit Christmas eve...

Watching the Northern Lights for hours while freezing the twin sources of the tribe of MoBOB off...

Driving to Alaska after the Blizzard of '86 (Winnipeg was a mess)...