This morning I dropped my 3 year old off with my mom and headed north. There is a stark difference between the muddy mess of town right now and the snow-swallowed mountains to the north. If you haven't been up there, it's hard to fathom just how much snow there really is. The highway has been reduced to less than 2 lanes, once you pass Purgatory Ski Resort. It's quite a site. Can't imagine I'll be seeing my cabin again anytime soon.

The Arizona family I photographed this morning contacted me back in July while we were under evacuation at Cascade during the 416 fire. They were planning a Spring Break trip and were hoping for snow. It was hard to imagine just how different the winter would be from the ash-filled skies of summer.

When they first contacted me, I told them I wasn't sure there would be any decent snow to photograph, if this year was anything like the last. Fast forward to this week. I don't recall a snowier month of March. Today, we played and laughed and enjoyed the snow. I couldn't have asked for a better close to my season. 

It will be interesting to see how the spring runoff plays out. In the meantime, I'm a happy camper. 

Cheers to one beautiful winter for Durango and the San Juans. Looking forward to some spring this coming week.

Aspen