In Search of Snow

Okay, kids.  You know me:  if the mountain won't come to Mohammed, Mohammed will go to the mountain!  They're predicting a 90% chance of snow at the Grand Canyon today with accumulations of up to 10 inches, and we're ready for some serious snow!

We've been to the Canyon enough times now to be comfortable with the roadways, and we know how far it is between "help."  You also know that I go prepared.  I've loaded the van with sleeping bags and bottle water and lots of protein snacks.... All of our winter clothing is in Texas, but I bought an over-sized quilted vest.  I'll layer on some blouses, sweatshirts, hoodie and wear my high-top hiking boots topped with leg warmers. Granpa will wear his hoodie, high-tops, and he bought some fingerless gloves. So we are off to see the wizard, uh, blizzard!

We have new tires on the van, and I had the oil changed this week.  I took it to "Oil Can Henry's," and that was a (good) experience in itself.  But I know that they checked all the fluids, etc.  Granpa topped off the tanks at our Maverick service station, and as we pull onto Route 66 we find ourselves in a caravan of snowplows!  Woo-hoo!

The sky is clear, the Interstate is clear, but we have a three hour drive to the Canyon.  If it doesn't snow while we're there, that's okay because the Canyon is always a treat to the eyes.  Before we even get very far down the highway though, Granpa is stopping to take pictures.  This is just east of Kingman.  He sees snow on the mountain, and he's gotta stop just in case it's the only snow we see today.

Just before we exit the interstate at Williams we see something our vast and vivid imaginations could mistake for a volcano preparing to erupt.  John really likes these kind of pictures, but not enough to stop his quest for snow.  I boldly grab his camera and take this one.  Not bad for a point-n-shoot girl.

From Williams to the Canyon is due north, straight as an arrow - and all uphill.  It's a gradual incline, but in the hour it takes to get there we will have reached an average elevation of 8,000 feet.  (Even the bottom of the Canyon has an average elevation of 2,200 feet!)  That's certainly high enough for snow!

When we arrive there's a smattering of snow from days gone by.  Clouds are moving in, and the wind, as always, is blowing up a storm - literally.  I just don't believe Granpa could get any happier!

We head east along the rim.  If we keep going we'll come out at Page, Arizona and Antelope Canyon.  I wouldn't mind going there again!  I would bet it's magical to see snowflakes drifting down into the slot canyon!

You can see how clear it is - but that's gonna change in no time at all!!  In less than an hour's time it went from that, to this.  Yea !!!!

It was a true blizzard, and before we could drive back west and exit the park, the small snow plows were out and rangers were shutting down the roads.

But for now we continue on to Desert View.

In case you can't tell, I'm having a wonderful time!  Mountain lions are prevalent around here, but this one was unlucky enough to get got, and so I got to get up close and personal with him.  You can tell by the snow blowing horizontally that it truly was a blizzard.  The longer we were there the bigger the flakes got and the wetter they became.  John opined that maybe coming tomorrow would have been prettier, but I think not.  A blanket of snow sounds nice, but for pictures the contrast between the snow and ground or rocks or trees I like.  I do suggest we get a room and spend the night, but tomorrow is Sunday and there's no missing church for Granpa.  Besides, our Bible Study class is going out for lunch after church, and there's no missing out on that for Granpa either.

You can see that it's getting deeper by the minute, so maybe it's time to think about heading back - but Granma's got a lil' bit of shopping to do before we go.

And, yes, kids, that's your Christmas in the bag!

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