Friday's headline news should have tipped us off for what lay ahead
Photo: Chronica Domus
Our continuing adventures in hot pursuit of some snow fun had us finally arriving in South Lake Tahoe this past Friday. You may recall reading about our fruitless attempt to venture there several weeks ago, and the disastrous mudslides that closed the main highways into the Sierra Nevada mountains, along with the ensuing mayhem suffered by thousands of fellow car-bound snow seekers. We gladly put those shenanigans behind us - or so we thought - in hopes of witnessing one of the deepest snowpacks in recent memory. Astonishingly, the pack is at 186% of normal which is expected to see skiers on the slopes until July's Independence Day holiday. What a winter this has turned out to be!
On Saturday morning, after tucking into a filling breakfast at our hotel, so conveniently situated at the base of Heavenly Mountain Ski Resort, we headed outdoors to catch a ride up the mountain.
Nope, we won't be catching sight of Heavenly Mountain's summit today!
Photo: Chronica Domus
As luck would have it, today was not the day to be darkening the doors of the gondola which we had expected to take us on a scenic 2.4 mile ride up the side of the spectacular mountain. Despite the sunny conditions, a severe winter storm warning with high winds was in effect which meant only skiers were permitted on the mountain. As not everyone in our little party would be skiing, we were advised to try our luck the following day. Ah well, it was time to implement Plan B.
Not ones to miss an opportunity for exploration, we hopped into the Volvo and away we drove in search of adventure. Across the California-Nevada border and over mountainous terrain we went in the direction of Carson City, Nevada's capital city. As you can see below, the desert area stands in stark contrast to Lake Tahoe's forested snow-covered landscape. It was also a balmy forty degrees warmer.
The sight of this hunk of ice along the desert road was quite a curiosity, apparently having fallen from the roof of a passing car
Photo: Chronica Domus
After lunch, we meandered across the mountains and back towards Lake Tahoe, stopping to take in the majestic views of the lake.
Photo: Chronica Domus
Photo: Chronica Domus
Your eyes do not deceive, this is indeed a beach of snow
Photo: Chronica Domus
By now, we could feel the beginnings of the winter storm brewing. The howling winds were barrelling down the mountains and the sun's weakened rays had given way to gloomy skies. The mercury had also plunged notably, and rapidly.
There was one silver lining to lessen the disappointment of not having access to the other snow activities high up on Heavenly Mountain. Our daughter Patience was overjoyed to have her up-for-anything parents join her in a spot of snow saucering. For those of you that have no idea what this entails, all I can say is that you should A) be prepared to take your life into your own hands, B) steady yourself to look very "uncool" in the eyes of everyone but a teenager, and C) be prepared to belly laugh like a deranged lunatic all the way down a slippery snowy slope, at great speed, while sat atop a plastic saucer more often than not travelling backwards. I must tell you, it was a very liberating experience to say nothing of the fact that my daughter's estimation of her over-the-hill parents just went up several notches. Although photographic evidence of this gentle author whizzing down the mountain on said saucer does exist, I am opting to keep that part of our adventure private. One does, after all, have a certain image to maintain.
The decorative iron street grates looked enchanting with a light dusting of snow
Photo: Chronica Domus
By Sunday morning, our motor car was buried in two feet of snow, just in time for our journey home.
Our Volvo is under there somewhere
Photo: Chronica Domus
Our timing was impeccable; the drive home was a whiteout. It took us four hours to crawl along seven miles of connecting road because of an ominous sounding "avalanche control" exercise taking place further into the mountains, temporarily closing the highway. Listening to the distant booming sound of explosives shattering the silence as snow continued falling was surreal.
Once the road opened, we continued our grind home at a steady ten miles per hour in twenty degree temperatures.
I just missed snapping the thermometer as it dipped to twenty degrees Fahrenheit resulting in the windshield wipers freezing up with blocks of ice
Photo: Chronica Domus
Here is the view from the front passenger seat just before the windshield wipers froze:
At this point, conditions were actually getting quite unnerving, having already slid off the road and into a ditch once, and now having to brace the bone-chilling cold to chip away frozen ice from the windshield wipers every few miles
Photo: Chronica Domus
Photo: Chronica Domus
I question our judgment when I look at this insanely beautiful but hazardous mountainous road we safely negotiated, to much relief, with the help of our ever-trusty AWD Volvo wagon
Photo: Chronica Domus
It was several more hours before we were out of the eye of the storm. I counted our lucky stars upon making it safely through. It was all so worth it for the views that awaited us were dazzling. Surely, we had entered the Land of Narnia.
Photo: Chronica Domus
Photo: Chronica Domus
Photo: Chronica Domus
I was half expecting Mr Tumnus to appear from beyond the trees
Photo: Chronica Domus
The serenity of a snowy winter landscape is unmatched in its beauty
Photo: Chronica Domus
After viewing the world through a monochromatic lens for the entirety of our journey, it was with welcome relief that we spotted a jolt of early spring color during a brief pit stop at the small gold mining town of Placerville.
Spring meets winter with the last remnants of snow at the feet of cheery yellow daffodils
Photo: Chronica Domus
Arriving home late on Sunday evening, we were glad for the adventure we had shared. Our long weekend was not exactly how we had imagined it to be, faffing about in the powder on top of the mountain, but on reflection, I don't think I would have changed an action-packed minute of it. I am, however, suddenly hankering for a stint on a warm tropical beach.
Nota bene: I am neither paid nor do I receive recompense in exchange for applauding products or services within my blog. I do so because I enjoy them. If you are a kindred spirit, you too enjoy recommending nice things to fellow good eggs.
Hello CD, Your family continues to be thwarted in your skiing adventures, although I am not sure if that is necessarily a bad thing. When you got to Carson City, did you visit the old mint? That would have been my #1 destination there.
ReplyDeleteSnowy landscapes can indeed be beautiful, but I saw a lot of them in Ohio, and to paraphrase Patrick McManus, I could see all the snow I wanted to just by looking out the window. Your family is an intrepid lot, braving the elements driving into snowy mountains, time after time!
--Jim
Hello Jim,
DeleteI can only imagine you'd never want to see another snowy landscape again having received your fair share of snow back in Ohio. For us, it is rather a novelty, and one we can leave behind after a weekend of fun. Having to live in it is a different matter altogether!
We did walk by the impressive mint building, which is now a museum, and various other civic buildings in the area but as we were slightly over-dressed for the warm climate (still in snow gear), and wanted to get back to Lake Tahoe for more sight seeing before the storm hit, we skipped going in for a tour.
I feel you, "sister", so to speak! Tomorrow to the mountains, but I rather hope that it will be less hazardous in the journey. I am not hoping to diss the snowfall which is falling, and will ensue, but it looks pretty exciting for a bit of powder skiing. Your experience is a sulutry reminder that Mother Nature rules the roost. NB those who might think they are Canute, to whom I'm sure you recognise the reference/relevance.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteHow right you are, columnist. King Canute we are not and I think the photos in this post prove that.
DeleteI do hope you enjoy your snow experience and the weather behaves. Where are you off to?
We have just arrived in Rusutsu, and the journey up through a bit of snow, (nothing like you endured), was only an hour and a half with our car and driver. I was expecting it to take much longer given the weather, and the mostly 50km speed limit. Great hotel, with plenty of room, which we stayed in more than 20 years ago on our first ski trip to Japan. Great snow too, but first we need to get ski lift passes and our clobber to the locker, so first thing tomorrow on the powder. Putting on the "cement" boots is always a struggle after a hiatus!
DeleteAll this sounds very exciting and promising for a fun time in the snow. So glad to read that the conditions are ideal and that you won't be dealing with a monster dumping of snow and the problems that come along with it. Enjoy the slopes!
DeleteSalutary, sorry. This iPad thingy is too dificile for ancient eyes..
ReplyDeleteTry as I might, typing anything on a tablet that requires more than a few words is infuriating! Much prefer a laptop.
DeleteSo glad you made it home safely. Those mountain snowstorms can be harrowing. I well remember traveling with chains for the tires in King's Canyon Park. Did you travel through the infamous Donner's Pass en route to Carson City?
ReplyDeleteWe are looking forward to our annual visit to CA next week when we will visit San Francisco and then drive onto Fresno to reunite with the friends we made during our residency there over a decade ago. The change of climate will be most welcome.
Best,
KL Gaylin
Hello KL Gaylin,
DeleteOur route home did not, thank goodness, involve a crossing of Donner Pass. Been there a number of times and I cannot even imagine crossing that terrain in whiteout conditions.
Please don't forget to pack your umbrella for it will likely get a good workout here. We had so much rain on Monday, I'm still wondering if we should build an ark.
Enjoy your trip!
Hasn't the weather been bizarre this winter? Glad you had a safe and happy trip even though it was not as planned. xo
ReplyDeleteHello Jen Lawrence,
DeleteThe density of the falling snow was unbelievable, dumping over two feet of snow overnight and much more on the day we drove home. I don't know how we managed to escape those roads unscathed at times, but we did, and I'm very grateful for it.
What an adventure! We had similar experience in Iceland about a year ago, but luckily a local person was driving and he took it all in his stride. That photo of the snow beach is awesome!
ReplyDeleteHello Jenny Woolf,
DeleteI've never seen a snow beach before and thought it quite an arresting sight.
I'd love a snow adventure in Iceland but I'll take your tip and use a local who is comfortable in the snow. I'm sure it made all the difference to your comfort. My husband is a cautious driver but even he found it difficult to control our all-wheel drive vehicle at times.
Tahoe is is a beautiful place.
ReplyDeleteThat said, the picture of your car in the snow is remarkable. It came down fast and heavy apparently. Those roads, especially where there is a heavy layer of snow, look treacherous. I'm sure it was a relief to get to Placerville with its daffodils to greet you.
Hello Diogenes,
DeleteTahoe is indeed a stunning place, particularly in the winter months. We were extremely grateful for the efforts the authorities made in keeping the roads clear of as much snow as possible. Several snow plows and the controlled avalanche measures were enough to get us home on Sunday night. We heard the roads were completely closed the following day so I can only imagine how much more snow blanketed the area following our return.
My only Lake Tahoe reference is Michael Corleone taking brother Fredo on a 1-way boating excursion.
ReplyDeleteI've told the boys over at Wikileaks after they tidy up after their Vault 7 dump to kindly procure GSL pic of saucy CD's descent.
Doesn't Mister CD know how to get the Volvo out of 2nd gear? My mother makes better time.
Hello GSL,
DeleteMost amusing, re Wikileaks. It appears that Mr. Domus feels compelled to come out from behind the wheel to explain his icy driving strategy to you (see response below).
Fair question sir. As it was directed to me, I'll answer directly.
ReplyDeleteWhen one's windshield has been coated in slush, and one's wipers have been fully encrusted within oscillating blocks of ice, when one repeatedly struggles to find sufficient vantage through largely translucent glass to search for unoccupied pull-outs (which aren't merely snow camouflaged gullies) in order to break the ice from one's wipers, going much faster wouldn't be wise even if the pace setting line of cars before one were to suddenly vanish and allow for it.
The periodic vision, in form of vehicles sliding into snow banks, can firmly harden theory into reality all along the way.
In other words, I couldn't have gone faster than second or third gear if I wanted to...and I didn't want to. :-)
I only wish Mrs Domus might have included a photograph of our view at its most concerning state, ha.
Mr. Domus
Very well Mr D. We completely understand how extreme caution took priority when transporting such precious cargo.
DeleteLet's hope the Spring Thaw allows speedier transport on next adventure so as not to try your Patience.
...and thank you for giving me opportunity to offer my first ever comment here on my lovely wife's blog. :-)
DeleteMr Domus
This is why I have wanted to try living in California!! But aren't you happy that you will get great snow melt and no droughts for at least a year or two??
ReplyDeleteWell then, you'd better start planning an exploratory trip to San Francisco soon. We are fortunate to enjoy easy access to mountains (snow in winter), beaches, forests, and best of all, the world-famous wine region of Napa Valley all within an hour or two from home base. When you get bored of all that there is, of course, the lure of the big city. What are you waiting for?
DeleteOh, my GOODNESS---all my driving nightmares (save for the one about the open-mouthed dragons just over the next hill) all rolled into one. I DO NOT drive in snow, for my snow education of many years standing was that when you see the first flakes, school buses and homeward-bound vehicles roll immediately, and you stay there til the sky and roads are clear.
ReplyDeleteYour photos are simply breath-taking, as was, I'm sure, the acquisition of them, as you slipped and slid and gritted your teeth for all those slow, scary miles.
Oh, yes---the Narnia experience. Those gray-draped trees like ghosts in the mist, and the unfooted expanse of white promising great adventures and glorious heroic scenes. I love snow, and love looking at it and walking in it, and seeing the beautiful through safe windows. I'll take my travel through the Wardrobe door, please.
Hello racheld,
DeleteI too adore snowy winter landscapes and was grateful to have an opportunity of snapping some Narnia-like photographs in a year that has brought more snow to the area than ever before. A magical experience worth the discomfort of the treacherous ride home.