Snowy Sierra~

On By cindy knokeIn Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Sunsets, TRAVEL REVIEWS

We have decided not to stay home anymore. We are going to resume our regular vagabonding, as safely as we can. We left sunny Southern California,

for some cold Sierra snow.

Sunset on the peaks are lovely.

But is quite nippy.

Winds on the peaks are 55-75 mph, with temps approaching 0 F,

gets your attention skiing!

View towards The White Mountains from The Sierras.

We’ve come 6 weeks after an epic storm.

It has been sunny, but cold since.

Maybe these folks are gonna wait till spring to dig out? I don’t blame them.

Cheers to you from the chilly Sierra~

241 thoughts on “Snowy Sierra~”

    1. I hear you big time…….I have been there so often. I miss it, and everything else, too. It is so sad. It is moving into 3 years now with covid. We maybe need to travel again, in our own cars, to places that aren’t crowded, but are beyond beautiful. And there are so many such places…..დ

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    1. It definitely goes quiet doesn’t it. Like all of nature is still. I remember being in Wyo when it was -50F with wind chill. I didn’t know the temp. It was sunny and still and the rivers were smoking, and I thought, what a great day for skiing. Boy was I wrong!!! I was young then…… 😉

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  7. I’m thrilled for you, Cindy! Beautiful landscapes and lovely lighting. Happy to follow you vagabonding on, seeing beauty through the eye of your camera. One request – we just had 2 feet worth of blizzard, so please bring on the warm destinations, too!

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    1. Chuckling…..We’re going to Arizona next, Superstition Mountains, sun, red rock, wide open western vistas. Traveling with you is the best! And thank you for your kind thoughts. Stay well დ

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      1. How wonderful – I’m happy to follow you along to Arizona in winter. In August, though, not so much. Safe travels, happy trails to you, and all that jazz.

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          1. Indeed, you’re right! Can you please explain that to my beloved former employer who always had their annual summit conference in Scottsdale. In August. 😆

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      1. I too have never seen it before.  It’s beautiful but scary.  Hope the trees are healthy.  A hopeful sign is the alignment between where whole trees look rusty red and where the direct sunlight falls; the trees in the shade look OK.

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        1. The trees are not healthy. Smart of you to pick this up. The pines in California have been ravaged by years of drought, many are infested by beetles. You can easily see the effects of this when close up დ

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    1. Thank you. It feels like freedom. We are going to do monthly shorter trips by car, no planes, boats, or trains, but we are moving and it feels right. Take good care დ

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    1. Yes, it is Mammoth. Mid week,Very limited people. Cold, fierce wind up high, freeze, thaw, I like it best like this. Well, maybe less wind. Stay safe and well Terri დ

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    1. Thank you for knowing how wonderful it feels Rebecca! I am still covid cautious as I have family responsibilities, but I am going to resume moving, modestly, every month, by car and foot. Finding wonder and feeling it. Traveling with you is feeling so very lucky to share with a friend like you! Stay well my friend დდ

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  19. How fabulous. Those colours! And I bet the crisp air smells divine. So happy for you, Cindy, that you are able to get back on the road to these beautiful places 💚

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    1. It has been a long two years for all of us. I know it is still going on, and I plan to be very cautious, but, I’ve had it with putting life on hold. Thank you Liz & stay safe and well my friend დ

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  20. Wow Cindy, what incredible shots. That land gives you something within, even at those temperatures. Mind you, I do hope the van owners aren’t trying to sleep in there till Spring 😀 ❤️ 🙏🏽 🦋

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  23. Most of the time silence is most beautiful happening. The quiet nature after big storms and typhoons are sending different messages always. Love these pictures. And happy traveling. I am waiting for Asia to open up and I will jump start my travel. Hope the carona demon leave the planet . Cheers.

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      1. Thanks and glad to read from you. I love that calm and silent nature. It’s most beautiful moments of life. Hope I can get to see all of these places too some day. What we see here is totally different and have its own beauty as well. Have a wonderful week end and wish you more pleasing time while traveling. Cheers.

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  25. Looks gorgeous, Cindy. We had friends trapped in it and whose journey out to north of San Francisco took 17 hours on the roads! Here’s hoping yours is easier

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    1. Yikes!! That would be horrific. The Sierra is nothing to mess with. When she decides to storm, she does it BIG Time. I have been scared by the weather here in the past. Hope your friends are okay დ

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      1. thanks; they arrived back safely, eventually. The three year old slept nearly the whole way so there were a few pluses. When we visited Squaw a few years ago, I stopped to fill up with petrol and standing opposite me was my neighbour from South London. I don’t think I’ve ever been more surprised in my time…

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        1. OH YES!!! I got off a plane in Gatwick, years ago, when I was young, and someone said, “Hey Cindy!” I thought was hallucinating. It was a friend from high school! It has happened other times. Now I just expect the world to be very small, if you’re very lucky. Good on you!

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        1. Not a soul in sight today, except my husband, and all of nature. I spent the day with this really elusive herd of 100 or so wild Sierra Mustangs. Their eyes are so different from domesticated horses. Their iris’s are yellow so they have tiger eyes. They have never had their mains or tails trimmed and they are so long. They look you in the eye, and let me get almost close. I can never stop traveling again. Today was a thrill. These wild mustangs only predators are mountains lions, which keeps the population healthy. They are thriving in the Sierra winter and I have the photos to prove it! დ

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  32. I grew up in the snowy deep freeze of Michigan and loved every moment. Made it through two record-breaking blizzards without batting an eye. I still love winter, but only from afar in beautiful photos like these! 😀 😀

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    1. Serious cold captures all your attention, as it should, if you are interested in staying alive. Your Michigan blizzards must have been epic. I am glad I don’t have to deal regularly with deicing, and snow removal, and plowing of roads. But I love visiting very much დ

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    1. Yes. The epic storm was about 6 weeks ago and it has been sunny since, so there has been a lot of melt of. The area has received 271 inches of snow this season so far, compared to an average of 206 inches. The greatest amount of snow recorded here was 668.5 inches in 201-11 season.

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  42. Whatever shade her seasonal attire, whichever robe she wears, Nature is always at her finest posing for your lens. Wonderful images Cindy, (sensational light!) thank you. It feels like waking in another world far, far away.

    With your camera at the ready, with breathtaking landscapes to inspire, and a crisp, clear vision all the way to the horizon, I’m sure your journeys will reward with many treasured memories, many adventures, and a library of images to enjoy.

    Stay safe and stay well. Take care,

    DN

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  44. Oh, it looks gorgeous! Our neighbors used to live up in Incline Village but, after a couple of winters with 17 inches of snow to dig out of they moved down to the valley where there’s less snow. My goodness you can’t even get to the front door of that cabin!!

    Stay warm and enjoy your vacation!!

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    1. I’ve been here when they built snowtunnels to get in and out of doorways, and the snow covered all the first story windows, up to mid-balcony on the second floor. The eastern Sierra can get epic amounts of snow. დ

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  48. Just gorgeous, Cindy – and I understand how you feel about resuming your life. On a much smaller scale, that’s why Pretty and I have gone back to the women’s basketball games this year. We mask up – most of the folks who sit around us we know and they are masked up, vaccinated, boosted like we are. But yet there are a few we don’t know – those are the ones not wearing masks, of course.
    We have accepted the risk – these games mean so much to us.
    We send wishes for safe journeys to you and your family.

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    1. I am happy you are cautiously doing the things you love again Sheila. I wear masks to protect myself and other people. I wish non-maskers had more ability to’love thy neighbor’, especially vulnerable and unvaccinated very little children. დ

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  51. Cindy! Do you mean intelligent people actually leave a gorgeous place like The Holler and willingly travel to snow and cold??? I’m stunned. Here, we got 4.5 inches of snow, ice, and freezing rain yesterday, with much more on the way for today. I’ll post some photos for you!

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    1. Yes!! We endure the possiblity of frostbite for the thrill of whizzing down mountains on skis, or my kids on snowboards. Gotta get the 3yo twins on skis too, although it is a bit nippy for them. Maybe it will be a bit warmer tommorrow. I love seeing your photos! დ

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    1. We are in Mammoth. The top of the mountain was closed yesterday. The winds seem less today. The coldest I am been in is -50 below with wind chill in Jackson Hole. They closed the entire mountain and all the poinsettias died in the lobby. დ

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      1. I went on winter cross country ski treks and camping out in Alaska with the temperature hovering around a minus 30, Cindy. Fortunately, there wasn’t much wind. -50 would have been a bit much. As it was, we had to sleep with our shoes in the sleeping bag. Otherwise they were frozen solid in the morning. Not happy feet. 🙂 –Curt

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        1. -50 was go outside and freeze the surface of your lungs sort a situation. Scary. You would not believe the nature day I had today Curt! I still can’t believe it happened. I will post soon. I am SO GLAD to have decided to be on the road again. დ

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    1. Two years of waiting to too much. I won’t take planes, trains, or boats for now, but I am moving on and making plans. I love the snow, mountains, frozen lakes. It is so different from what I am used to. I am sitting by the fire now, with a glass of wine, after a day hiking, writing this to you! Take good care Pauline დ

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  65. I can’t believe you went to snow on purpose…I wish I could just send you ours and you could watch it melt around your house. I’m glad you’re traveling again. Have a wonderful time. Don’t expect to see any colorful birds or happy animals. LOLOLOL They’re probably at your house having fun in the sun.

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  66. Wow, what alot of snow–epic, indeed! I’m so glad you’ve decided to travel again and I pray it will be safe and refreshing! I look forward to more wonderful photos.

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  69. That is an incredible amount of snow beside the cabin! I always think that snow is the exclamation mark on natural beauty. those winds sound chilly. Stay warm and enjoy.

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    1. Road tripping for now, at least. It has been both caring for my twin grandbaby boys, and covid, that has clipped my wings. But the wings cannot stay clipped, not for more than two years. I am still caring for my grandloves, but, I have negotiated time outs each month, to get back into what I love to do which is travel, move and see. It feels so wonderful. You would not believe today! I spent hours with a herd of reclusive wild Sierra Mustangs. It was a pause/approach situation on both our parts. The herd was about 100 strong and healthy, and this is The Sierras and winter! I have all the photos. Their only predators are mountain lions, they keep the popluations healthy. Their eyes are so different than domestic horses. Their irises are yellow. They look like tiger eyes. დ

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      1. Mustangs are a breed apart among horses. They are the hardest to tame down. But, when they are, mustangs are the most loyal, most dependable horse to have.

        Safe travels now.

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    1. It is turning out to be amazing. I hung out today with the elusive wild Sierra mustangs out in the middle of nowhere and got very close to them. They are magnificent! დ

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  78. So happy for you to get to go see some of that FANTASTIC cold beauty!!

    Loving these photos! Living vicariously through the view from your lens!

    Keep it coming, Sister! 📸👌🏻

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    1. Thank you Randall. They closed the top of the mountain and it was my son who was up there!! The next day it warmed up. I think the temp was 0 F with wind chill. I think an adventurer would be the person who overnights in a tent up there!!!! I am more of a comfortable adventurer 😉 😉

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  84. I gasped out loud when I saw the gorgeous violet sky in the first photo, and the amazing colours in the other photos. Stunning!

    Best of luck to those poor van owners. It doesn’t look like that vehicle is going anywhere soon!

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