Thoughts

A Brief Dispatch from California: White Christmas in the Sierra Nevada

by Ryan VanderVelden

This year, I was lucky enough to visit my family in California for Christmas. We took a special trip into the mountains. It was a true winter wonderland.

There are many small highways that connect the Central Valley in California to Nevada via the Sierra Nevada. These roads are often only two lanes and are cut into the hills. Along the road are towering evergreen trees. You often can’t see very far due to the density of the trees. Along the other side of the road are usually canyons where dozens of small creeks bring melted snow from the highest lakes and peaks into the valley. And along the highways are even smaller roads that cut even further into the mountains. Here is where the true beauty lies. Here is where you see alpine lakes, vast forests, and sprawling meadows.

When I was a kid, we used to go into these mountains to get a Christmas tree. We would bring sleds and hike through the snow and build snowmen. It was the perfect way to start the Christmas season. So imagine my delight visiting for Christmas and getting a chance to revisit some of the same places from my childhood. Here are some photos from my trip:

Here is a snowy meadow. I am standing on a pile of snow on the side of the road that was collected there after the snow plow went through. The snow was the same height as the small wood fence that separated the road from the meadow. After I took some photos, I shifted my weight and promptly sunk into the snow.
Here is another view of the same meadow. I love how pristine the ground is and how the bright snow brings out the vivid colors of the green pine needles and the brown of the moisture-soaked tree trunks. Even more beautiful is the contrast between the snowy ground and the steel-tinged clouds in the sky. There was a snowstorm coming in as we were driving through.
There is something magical about a mountain creek. The rocks, the small rapids, the pine trees that line the edge. The sound of the flowing creek is gentle and peaceful.
This is the view from the other side of the bridge looking upstream. I really love how the rocks and the trees look when they are completely covered in snow. There is something about a mossy tree in the snow that makes me really happy. As you can probably imagine, the air was so fresh.
Although the mountains are beautiful in the summer, I think winter is when they are at their most beautiful.
I collect pictures of Little Free Libraries. I am always pleasantly surprised when I come across one. I thought the design of this one was particularly special due to its corrugated metal roofing. You see this type of roof on a lot of cabins in the mountains because of the snow. I also love the drawing of a tree growing out of a book.

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