Good news... my back is completely recovered from shoveling all the snow we received last month.  Holy smokes though, we got a lot.  For a solid three weeks my time was split between shoveling and snowboarding, and I figured out how to mix in work related activities when shoveling wasn't necessary and snowboarding wasn't possible.  School was canceled for about a week as well so I had plenty of play time with my daughter.

Here's a little movie I made during one of my daughters snow days at home -- and look at all the snow at lake level!
The song I chose for the video is called "White as Snow", by Jon Foreman.  I chose the song for the title (go figure) but also because I love the sound of it and I thought it matched the mood of the video.  I also appreciate the simpleness of the lyrics, which are taken directly out of Psalm 51.  

When we finally had a break between storms I skinned up to Emerald Bay to snap some photos.

Snow Covered Pine over Lake Tahoe and Emerald BayI like this photo for it's simplicity and intersecting lines. I'm always trying to look for compositions that are clean and uncluttered and only wish I had a longer lens to nail this one in camera; I cropped it. Winter in Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe Emerald Bay in Winter Emerald Bay Winter Vertical Panorama Snowy Panorama with Cascade Lake and Lake Tahoe

A couple days later we were finally greeted with a full day of sun along with some temperature inversions.  The resorts around the lake all broke records for business as the tourists flocked for the holiday weekend.  When the town gets crazy busy I either hunker down at home or head into the hills, and lucky for me, my good friend Nick called me and wanted to go for a hike.  With lunches packed and beacons checked we were onward and upward to Echo Peak, and the views were as epic as the turns going down.

Winter Pine Angora, Fallen Leaf Lake, Lake Tahoe, and Mt. Rose Angora, Fallen Leaf, Lake Tahoe, Mt. Rose Echo Peak Panorama of the Tahoe Basin

Unfortunately I don't have any photos of the descent of Echo Peak :(.  The light was low and we had to make it quick.  I do however, have some shots of the next powder day where we had deep snow, no crowds, and unlimited refills all day.  Someone has to do it so it might has well be me, right?

It's been an amazing winter so far for us left coast folks and I'm thankful for the opportunity to share it with family and good friends -- that's what it's all about.  Next week I have my first wedding of the year so I'll have some wedding shots to share soon enough.  If you have any questions on any of the photos please leave a comment below.  

Cheers for now, see ya next week

-CJ

*Some of the photos you see in this blog are available for purchase in a variety of print options in the Landscape Gallery.  Please check it out and if you have any questions you can  e-mail me.  Cheers!