Spring is in the Air!

We have more snow coming to the Sierra Nevada this weekend and possibly here at Topaz Lake on Monday, but we're starting to get much warmer weather between storms, green grass is starting to grow in pastures, rose bushes and cottonwood trees are starting to sprout leaves, bats have returned, and birds are building nests.  

One of the more photogenic Spring rituals is the thawing of frozen creeks and waterfalls in the Sierra Nevada.  As roads to passes and trailheads start to open, photographers gain access to high elevation creeks, and the melting ice palaces many of them contain.  The coolest locations hold ice the longest, in deep, shady canyons facing east to north, avoiding sun in the hottest part of the day.  Higher elevations ensure re-freezing at night.  This photo is from May 1, 2011, so even with the lighter snowpack this year, I'm hopeful that we still have 2-3 more weeks to find and enjoy nature's temporary ice sculptures.

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