Finding snow

Because the girls so enjoy the snow, and because it will soon be gone except in the highest terrain, our runs and hikes find us venturing ever higher into the forest behind the house. This morning we revisited a dirt road that runs fairly level along a hillside due east of us, at about 5000 feet. It's one we haven't been on since last autumn, a side spur off the road groomed for snowmobiles. There were sections of bare and dry dirt alternating with short stretches still covered in a foot of compacted and melting snow (above). Perfect.

It was sprinkling as we started running, a bit of rain that has been rare here this spring. Reminded me a bit of home (Seattle). But then I heard the thunder, and saw a couple of lightning strikes out across the valley. I worried about our exposure. Ever since lightning struck a neighbor's house and burned it to the ground last year, I've had a much greater respect for the power of such storms.


After realizing the storm was moving away from us, we continued our run. Meadow was especially playful in the snowy sections, and Maia was being her "lead dog" self. The rain stopped. Maia was confident with tail up; no worries about bear or anything else. It was peaceful and invigorating.

On the way back I tried to capture Meadow's glee as she jumped over a fallen tree, but - as you can see - the photo is blurry. Action shots are so hard!