Not sure the days could get any prettier here.  Good snow, warm temps, clear blue sky — life is good.

Yesterday, I took advantage of the midday hours, when the faster skiers and training groups head in for lunch and break before their afternoon ski session.  The seasoned skiers were coming back in from their morning sessions raving about the incredibly clear views.  I just had to see one of them for myself.  After a delightful ski with a couple of my favorite women, whose sons and daughters also are on the trip for the week of training and Yellowstone Ski Festival events, the tease of the partial mountain view convinced me to branch off and slowly tackle the Deja View trail.

The temperatures have been warm, but the snow still clung to the trees, like a classic postcard scene.  The empty trail beckoned.

Blue and white complemented each other with their brilliant extremes.

The silence was deafening — pausing on the trail, I could hear only the occasional drop of snow from a branch high above, no wind in the trees, no birds, just me and the trail.  It was wonderful.

Did I mention that I am not a hard-core skier?  I am content to shuffle through the woods, taking photos, pausing to take in the scenery and enjoy the solitude, or revel in the camaraderie of good friends on the trails together, while laughing and chatting enough that we cannot afford to get winded.

So, as I skied along Deja View, not that it wasn’t pretty, but figuring I already had skied at least half of the 7.6 km trail, I admit to saying out loud, “Where the hell is the view?”  Perhaps Mother Nature would answer?

I almost took a cutoff back down to the trailhead, after climbing and descending a couple of hills that were relatively challenging for this novice.  But, the effort was more than worth the reward.

What a view!

I enjoyed a few moments of solitude, taking a mental picture before pulling out the camera.  And then a couple of friendly college-aged women came along, and we traded favors, taking each others’ pictures to help preserve the moment.

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Let me say it again.  Life is good.

Ciao! ~ Kat