Had a friend once who was skiing the face of a peak when a chinook came roaring down the slope behind him. He tried to stay ahead of it, but about two thirds of the way down it caught up with him, and instead of a nice packed-snow surface, he was rolling in gravel. Just goes to show the power of a chinook. :)

The pasque flowers have made their appearances, little furry purple flowers that grow singly or in pairs. These hardy little blooms are the first harbinger of spring here at 8500 feet.

"..and it makes me feel fine
warm as the mountain sunshine
on the edge of the snowline
in a meadow of columbine..." -Dirt Band