Snow-kerchiefs

Another of the photos I took while x-c skiing in Kirkwood last month was the one here. I am not sure my vision will come through to others. To me, these branches being quickly covered by flakes falling in the windless sky resembled ladies at a wedding holding handkerchiefs and weeping out of joy. I thought, as I skied, of ways to extend this metaphor. Were the trees ecstatic at the sight of heavy snow at last? It had been a very dry winter up until now, and the system depends on long periods of snow cover. 

Snow-kerchiefs, Kirkwood CA, 2012.

Two nights ago, I spoke to some skiers who had just returned from Tahoe. They said it had snowed 72 inches in 48 hours where they were, but they were still pretty unimpressed with the warm conditions. They said it was "good spring skiing." This year was probably a rough one for season pass holders. 

Cow Parsnip Winter Blanket

What could those four nouns mean? Cow, Parsnip, Winter, Blanket...

I lucked out on finding a car seat to Tahoe with some friends a few weeks ago. I think I am finally on the very last "hurrah" or whatever of the cold that I caught while there, but it was still worth it. It was my first trip to an alpine winter since I turned 30... and that was long enough ago that it seems like a different lifetime. So my plan was to bring my x-c skis, cover some distance, and take in some scenery. I actually kind of forgot about the thin air that awaited me.

My friends hit the slopes at Kirkwood and I tromped off on the '80's-era ski package that I own. Since this is what I learned on, I guess it feels natural to still be skiing on this equipment.

Day 1 was wet and slushy. Not good. But still great to be on skis.

Day 2 dumped an untold amount of powder. It's shown in the weighty branches here. I had the trail to myself, except the snow-cat who was grooming it. I yielded to him several times.

I took in the thin mountain air on a 6-mile loop or so. I stopped on the return trail to snap a shot of this cow parsnip. Those are the two pale brown  flower stalks poking out of the snow. To take this photo, I had to side-step up a four-foot wall of packed powder, then use my skis more like snowshoes to float on about four feet of powder. Carrying a piece of photography equipment that you care about in such a situation is nerve-wracking, since when you fall, you are down for a while.

This is the dead flower stalk of a cow parsnip (Heracleum maximum), a plant favoring wet areas that seems to have a wide range in California. The plant was about twelve hours from becoming completely blanketed for the next several months. That fact, and the lighting in the mini-valley where it was situated, made it irresistible to photograph, as sketchy as it was to get there.

Cow Parsnip, Snow Dumping, Kirkwood, 2012.

Fetid Adder's Tongue

The plant Fetid adder's tongue (Scoliopus bigelovii) has a wicked name, straight out of a witches brew cookbook. The fetid comes from the foul smell of the flowers -- presumably to attract pollinating insects -- and the seed pods, which develop later, resemble a snake's tongue.

I first saw this plant almost a year ago with Catey on Mount Tam, along the Cataract Falls trail.  We noticed its basal leaf and seed pods, but no flower. The leaves are unmistakable - rich, smooth, deep green, mottled with reddish. It reminded me of trout lily from the woods of northern Illinois that is apparent this time of year.

Fetid adder's tongue, near Carson Falls, Marin Co., 2012.

This year we located the plant as it was flowering, in great abundance, along another wooded creek canyon in the Mt. Tam area -- along the Carson Falls trail.  We got to smell the unique odor that it puts off. As if seeing this amazing flower wasn't reward enough.

Right turn, Clyde

I am not sure how this cypress could have formed this way, but I would like to hang a hammock up there.

Cypress signaling right, San Francisco, 2012.

I can't write much else tonight because I'm tired. The bus ride kind of sucked the life out of me tonight. The bus does this. It gives a little back in the form of entertainment and occasional sense of community, but ultimately it takes away. I am excited to get back on the bike tomorrow. Between rain and a high-endurance cold, I've been off the bike for about a week. ugh.

I also missed picking up a newly developed film order by about 15 minutes tonight. But I should have some fresh material soon. 

I am glad that I rediscovered this photo, though.