October 25/26/27, 2011 (Tue/Wed/Thu)
First Snowfall of the Season - 12-14" @ Estes Park, 8-12" @ Fort Collins


I joined family for a couple days while they were on vacation at the "Y of the Rockies" (YMCA) at Estes Park. I drove up on dry roads just before the first of the season large snowfall, stayed for a couple days, and drove back on dry roads. The fresh, clean, white snow on the pine trees was a treat to enjoy with family!




Snow stacked upon the handrails




Out the deck from the cabin!










Our plow clearing the driveway for us.
















Winter Wonderland

Occasionally a pine tree would "drop" some snow. We took the cue and ended up "shaking" some of them to accelerate the snowfall, jumping under as best we could.

Video
Shaking the trees
WMV format, 2m29s, 16.5MB
2011-10-estes-park-snowy-pine-trees.wmv








Blue sky - Thursday

Cabin up the hill













I need to clear the car as we're checking out today.




Trying to focus on a snowflake / crystal







Ahhh...




Up on the road looking down to the cabin




From the main parking lot at the Y










One for Porter... Is this the bird?







Heading back to Fort Collins from Estes Park via US-34 (Big Thompson [river] Canyon)


























































Putting footprints into day old, untracked, snow - about a foot deep.




Out from the Big Thompson Canyon, taking the slow, scenic path back to town - a one-lane soil road.