March 18, 2003
Click on the pictures!

This was taken on March 18, after the first day of heavy snow. The park actually had to close in order for the plows to keep up with the snowfall.
Here we are taking a joy ride through the snow.

After one day of snow, we got a total of about a foot and a half.

Daisy had to "swim" through the snow.
The two humps on the left are actual cars that were deeply buried. They had also been dug out the night before.

Me and the Doodle digging out some steps!

This is what 4 feet of snow will do to your Suburban.
The snow proved to be a bit much for the plow. We had to take a few breaks to find spare parts. The heavy, wet, snow was a little too heavy, especially with 4 feet on the ground.

This is taken laying down in one of the "canyons" I had to dig just to get to the front doors of the cabins.

Here is a snowy scene just above the lodge..
Me on a snow pile.

Chris and Trevor Dog taking a break from shoveling.

A good action shot of Trevor and Daisy wrestling in the snow!
The evening that the storm broke was absolutely beautiful. This is looking Southwest towards Trail Ridge.
Here, mom is hard at work clearing the spot where the suburban was buried.
Daisy enjoying the deep powder!

The Big Snow!

Well, I have been waiting for a big snow ever since I have moved up here a couple of years ago. And we got a huge one. The biggest since 1913.

My mom and Kevin were lucky enough to be here when it happened, and if it wasn't for Kevin helping me, I'd still be shoveling.

The National Park had to close its gates, which is a VERY rare thing. There was just too much snow. While we got 42 inches in two days, Bear Lake got over 10 feet!!

I never, ever, thought I would see so much snow on the ground at one time. Daisy couldn't even come close to walking in it. She had to swim through it by doggy paddling. Entire trucks were buried to where you couldn't see anything, not even the side view mirrors. The snow was even too much for our heavy-duty plow. It was such a heavy, wet snow that ended up taking it's toll on many plows in the area.

But, it was beautiful. Especially the trees. And the evening the storm began to break was unreal. When the sun lit everything after being under a blanket of clouds for three days, everyone sighed at the beauty that, literally, appeared before their eyes. Well worth the sore muscles and frigid fingers/toes.

After seeing my first huge snow, I can say that I am ready for summer. We still have a month or so to thaw out before the first wildflowers start gracing us with their presence. So until then, I will patiently explore the area on snowshoes, all bundled up, and enjoy this winter paradise.