After a pair of back-to-back snow storms followed by sub-zero (°F) overnight temperatures we decided it was time to visit West Fork Oak Creek Canyon and see how the ice was developing.
As anyone who has hiked in this canyon knows, the trail crosses the creek more than a dozen times before the end of the maintained trail. In the summer it’s a simple matter of either stepping on the stones or just walking in the water. Getting wet is not an option in the winter leaving the stepping stones or walking on the ice if it is safe.
Most of the crossings we encountered had a mixture of stones and thick ice and we had no trouble crossing the stream. For additional traction we were using our Kahtoola microspikes.
Icy walk along West Fork Oak Creek.
The very cold temperatures and patches of open water resulted in surface hoar (i.e., fern-like ice crystals directly deposited on snow, ice or already frozen surfaces) developing and creating some interesting textures.
We had our first snow of the season in Flagstaff, Arizona last week (although snow had occurred much earlier in the nearby mountains) and it was a chance to photograph fall colors against the new snow. First stop was a grove of gambel oaks I had been watching for the past several weeks.
I had hoped for a light dusting of snow so that the leaves would stand out against the snow. Instead, several inches of snow fell and all but covered the leaves.
Gambel oak and several inches of fresh snow near Flagstaff.
The next stop was in Oak Creek Canyon. Snow cover was quickly diminishing at these lower elevations with only a partial covering remaining as I arrived at around 5500′ elevation.
Clouds swirl around the cliffs of Oak Creek Canyon as a light dusting of snow covers the canyon floor.
Additional snow fell that afternoon and evening and I returned the next morning to Oak Creek Canyon. The snow was a bit deeper this time and more widespread. And the cold temperatures of the previous days had resulted in a little more color in the leaves.
Maple leaves show their fall colors as snow lies on a fallen tree in Oak Creek Canyon.Finally! Some red appears in the maples this year.
An early season storm brought plenty of rain at the lower elevations along with several inches of snow across the higher elevations of the San Francisco Peaks. A few days spent in Lockett Meadow, Inner Basin, and Waterline Road resulted in some colorful images.
The Inner Basin Trail above Lockett Meadows.Along the Waterline Road.A wall of color.Groves of aspen blanket Lockett Meadows and the Inner Basin.
The aspen are showing great colors already and it will get better over the next few days. The snow across the high peaks really sets off the color—but that snow has already begun to fade away…
A late season storm brought a bit of snow to Flagstaff a few days ago. Our crab apple tree had just burst forth with blossoms earlier in the week. For just a few hours there was a delightful juxtaposition of colorful blossoms and new snow.
What? Wait! I’ve already written this! Last year, same time we had a late season snow that covered the blossoms on the crab apple tree.
Spring snow on crab apple blossoms.
As I said in that previous post, “Such is spring in northern Arizona. Warm and sunny days with occasional reminders of the departing winter.”
It’s been an interesting fall around here with regards to precipitation. The December statistics for Flagstaff are interesting. Up through 12/29/2014, there had been 2.75″ of water equivalent (both rain and melted snow). Normal for this period is 1.60″. Snowfall, on the other hand, has been mighty scarce. There had been a total of 4.9 inches this fall/winter; normal should be closer to 26 inches. What a difference!
But all that changed dramatically with the arrival of a strong and cold winter storm on New Year’s Eve day and continuing into the New Year’s Day. Snow levels fell to very low elevations with this storm and photographers were flocking to their favorite locations to capture amazing images of the desert with snow. Even Phantom Ranch, at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, received some snow from this storm.
An interesting aspect of this event was the cold front that pushed southward across the Great Basin and brought frigid air to southern Utah and northern Arizona just before the storm arrived. Then, when the precipitation began it fell into very cold air—and did not melt—resulting in snow accumulations around the very low elevations of Lake Powell and Page. This location is well known for being highly photogenic and the addition of snow makes it even better.
Closer to home, significant snow fell in Flagstaff (16-20 inches), Oak Creek Canyon, and Sedona. In fact, folks suggest this may have been the most snow from a single storm in several decades with 8-10 inches decorating the famous Red Rock Country.
And it was an amazing sight when the sun finally broke through the clouds.
Pillows of snow covers the rocks in Oak Creek.Snow decorates the red rock in Sedona, Arizona.Coffeepot rock in Sedona, Arizona.Cathedral Rock and the reflecting pools.Cathedral Rock reflected in Oak Creek.Sunset colors splash across the tree tops, red rocks, and snow in Sedona, Arizona.The Kachina Peaks with a rising moon from Garland Prairie, Arizona.Moonrise behind the Kachina Peaks .Moonrise behind the Kachina Peaks along with Earth Shadow and Belt of Venus.
