Early spring is, for me, the prime time to hit the slopes here in the Pacific Northwest. It seems to be the time of year when such trips jive best with my life, and when the various ski areas are at their least crowded. However, the weather can be just as wintry in spring as it is in the deepest depths of winter, as we found out this past Tuesday at Timberline on Mt. Hood.
The weather report had looked good the day before - cloudy with a bit of light snow, and so we finalized our plans and packed the car. However, once were all ready to go that evening the weatherman decided to play a cruel joke and suddenly change the optimistic forecast of earlier to one of rain and thunderstorms!
Despite these ominous predictions we were loathe to give up all our plans and preparation, and so decided to brave the unpredictable March weather and go whether it was to rain, snow, or meteor showers.
We were glad we did - not only did the rain not make an appearance, but we actually saw sun. Actual sunlight! In this year of dour slate gray skies it was an unfamiliar feeling to have the warming rays beating down on us, if only for the five or ten minutes they lasted. We even got to see distant Mt. Jefferson, it's lofty summit shrouded by lingering shreds of clouds - towering over the mist filled valleys and the vapors roiling amongst the ridges and lesser peaks.
Unfortunately, in expectation of terrible weather, I had left my Osmo and my DSLR at home, and brought only my ancient point-and-shoot. Despite it's age it seems to have done a decent job of capturing some fine images. It was refreshing to be able to just reach into my pocket, pull it out, and take a picture! There is something to be said for having a lesser camera close to hand rather than a powerful one stuffed in a bag somewhere out of easy reach.
It turned out to be a good day after all, and we stayed till the lifts closed, when were forced to make our way back home, sore but happy. We had proved yet again the value of challenging the weatherman and his often inaccurate predictions.
