It started snowing Friday afternoon and, before we were done yesterday afternoon, we had more than two feet of the fluffy white stuff. Unlike the big storm in December, this time the snow was wet and heavy, sticking to tree branches, signs, and utility lines. Saturday morning, I woke up around 5:30 a.m. to a crash outside. In my sleepy state, I figured a snowplow had hit a car. Later, when I went to take the dog for her morning walk, I discovered the 30 foot tall holly tree that stood outside our bedroom window was no more. It split in two about six feet off the ground. I am sure many other trees will fall victim to the weight of the snow on their branches.
Yesterday afternoon, as the storm was ending, I ventured in to Rock Creek Park for several hours of snowshoeing. At first, I was following the tracks someone else had laid with skis. Then, as I climbed the hill on the Valley Trail past the school, the ski tracks stopped and there was just one set of posthole tracks ahead of me. At the junction with the Holly Trail, the tracks turned left to follow it out to 16th Street. I turned right, laying fresh tracks in unbroken snow on the Valley Trail. It was hard work; even with snowshoes, I would sink two feet with each step. In some places, I sank to my knees. It was beautiful and I saw no one else until I turned up Sherril Drive to return to 16th Street. I walked in the street for a while, moving out of the way for the rare car, before turning up floral and heading for 14th street. Fourteenth hadn't been plowed for several hours, so there was enough snow in the street to comfortably snowshoe. A great afternoon.
Lots of pictures:
A pine tree covered in snow at the height of the storm Friday night.
Snowy street on Saturday morning. About six more inches fell after this was taken.
The holly tree that fell.
Holly leaves covered in snow.
Colesville Road on Saturday morning.
A tributary to Rock Creek.
Fresh, untracked snow on the Valley Trail in Rock Creek Park.
My tracks.
Looking down on Rock Creek from a bluff.
Sinking to mid-calf even with snowshoes.
Bridge over Rock Creek.
Someone had scraped small windows into the snow on the bridge above.
Rock Creek from the bridge.
No comments:
Post a Comment