[Trevor]

It's been a while since I have done this trip report thingy. Allow me to gather the metaphorical shoes off the rack and dust them off. Though typically I might get rebuked trying to get up Dickerman this early in the year, or in most occasions as late as may, I was quite pleased to notice that the snow was quite easily navigable sans snowshoes/crampons( though they might make things easier in spots). Sunday was the perfect day to capitalize on the merger of brief sunshine and el nino conditions. Snow had collected on the upper reaches of the trail the last few days laying down a fresh-pristine blanket. While a great majority of the fresh stuff was melting on the hike up- most of it in the form of inch-thick drops that must have been magnetically connected to my face or something- I still managed to spot some trees with their white coats on near the summit. Jumping up and down in fresh snow is a great anti-stress mechanism. It's funny after several trips up how one collects various trail nuances to mark-mile estimations. Huge rock near bottom="3/4 mile." Opening with view of Big 4="2 miles." False summit=" generally too annoyed to estimate." Winter really brings a different face to the land. What once is a study of the reemergence of life in the late spring and summer, becomes an interplay of shapes and shadow patterns in the these cold months. A much different approach to viewing is needed as a steady observer. I find that for any hour-long ascent in snow, thinking about the 10-minute-glissade descent helps. A cloud came in just before sunset on the hike back- painting the trees with a warm-magenta light as I reached the view of Big 4 through the trees. This time the estimation was around a "1/2" mile from there back to the lot.

Greeting the Fresh Layers

2 labels

[tmatlack]

Trev, Wow, that 1st one is beastly cool. Thanks. Tom

[Jim Dockery]

That one really grabs me, one of the best abstracts I've seen here, gives me that infinite zoom feeling.

[silence]

awesome trevor ... makes my heart soar .. beautiful images .. excellent work

[Hikingqueen]

Great images! Very unique!

[Sabahsboy]

Trevor...those are remarkable images, indeed! Glad you had no difficulties returning to lower trail and darkness.

[Rigafari]

Nice snaps!

[Trevor]

I appreciate the comments! I added a couple more images.

[Jim Dockery]

The first one is still my favorite, but that last one is sweet too (obviously I'm into B&W right now).

[Sabahsboy]

I like the last two shots a lot....esp. the color one! Love B & W, and that color one has such a dramatic take of foreground and range of peaks far beyond...enticing! No matter, all are great and Dickerman shed some of its mystery to you.

[Trevor]

Thanks for the detailed comments. The first image immediately struck me both on Dickerman and later on when I reviewed the images as being the most unique take from the day. It's a really tough call on whether to go color or black and white. I could have easily settled with black and white on all of those, but it is nice to mix and match. I do feel that black and white is at its best in contrasty-winter scenes such as those where tonal qualities are typically stronger than color transitions.

[Michael Lewis]

Hope you don't mind Trev, but image number one is now my desktop background. It's.... so... mesmerizing...