October 30, 2010

Its snow time!!

It is just starting to get wintery here.  The darkness is starting to take over, but hasn't yet, and there have been a few storms.

But no snow.  At least not at sea level.

There is snow on all of the mountains though, and the snow level has remained at around 2000 ft for the past couple of weeks. 
I have been wanting to get out and touch the snow, but everyone keeps telling me to wait for it.  It will be here soon enough.  But that's not my style.
So today, with Ernie at work and all the chores done at home, I decided to go to the snow.

I chose the fastest and easiest route possible to get there:  I went up Mt. Roberts. 

A view of downtown Juneau from about half a mile up the trail.

The trail is nothing but uphill (unless you are coming down) and I gained almost 2000 ft in an hour.  It was tiring, but I finally got to the snow, touched it, and headed back down.

The first snow that I saw on the trail, just below the tram.  Pathetic, I know, but you gotta start somewhere.

All around the trail there were birds and squirrels collecting food for the impending winter, and I saw deer and rabbit tracks all over the snow.

Mt. Roberts.  I didn't go all the way to the top, even though it is only another 1000 vertical feet or so.


I am satisfied for now, and of course, the snow level is predicted to come down to the 800 ft level in the next few days, so I really could have waited for it.
Except I couldn't.

Looking across to Mt Juneau, down the channel, and towards the valley.