New Year's Snow

We got back into the valley for the sunset over the coast range. We camped last night at Lake Davis but didn’t ski today because the snow had iced up so badly. The day before we skied at Yuba Pass (6700 ft.) where there is a Sno Park. That’s where the pictures are from. There were snow mobiles everywhere we went these four days but at Yuba Pass you can get to a dedicated ski area where the monsters are not allowed. On the previous day we skied at Lexington Hill where the miners used to compete on their long wooden skies on the weekends 150 years ago. Now that area, around La Porte, is also filled with snow mobiles. Most of the access areas to the back country, as well as the entire wild country, is snow mobile country and it’s hard to get away from their whine and growl.

During the storm we came down to Sierraville Hot Springs to enjoy the wait.
It was a beautiful veggie oil loop and start to the New Year despite the news of the suffering in Gaza and the distressing audio book we listened to, called Mayflower, about the genocide of the native people of New England. I don’t know how to balance the things that are so cruel and outrageous against the beauty of nature and a simply lived life but I’m glad to get relief from fretting about it for awhile.