It's taken me a while to sort through and edit my photos, but I've made it. The process has been slowed by misc. family happenings, computer parts going bad, leaky roofs, and just plain laziness.
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The trip was a blast! Tanya and I were a little apprehensive about driving in snowy/icy conditions (being from the South were such white stuff doesn't exist), but things worked out well for us. And driving in the snow (at least a very thin layer of it) isn't bad at all. Here's a separate gallery with behind-the-scenes photos of us at play:
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We enjoyed the snow. It was deep, dry, and powdery. Thankfully some of the hiking trails were packed hard, and hiking them wasn't too difficult. With the aid of ski poles and slip-on traction devices on our boots, we managed to get around and see the Amphitheater quite well.
Venturing off-trail was a different matter :-) Most of the snow was 2 to 3 feet deep. We rented snow shoes and did a very small amount of off-trail hiking before we realized they didn't help much. It was tough going.
I highly recommend visiting Bryce in the winter to enjoy the snow. Seeing the park can be limited (the lower half of the park, below the major viewpoints, was closed when we were there), but it's incredibly beautiful.
So wait a sec, it's only April, and you've already been to Bryce Canyon and Death Valley? I'm jealous. :)
ReplyDeleteThese pictures are great, the snow gives the canyon a completely different character from the more traditional summertime shots, and you've used the dramatic weather to good effect. I can't believe you hiked those trails in the snow, though. :)
Thanks, Jeff! Yep, busy-busy here :-)
ReplyDeleteBryce is amazing. Bryce in the snow is freakin' fantastic. Highly recommended!