Bon Hiver!
There’s a joke here in the high Sierra that Mammoth has four seasons; early winter, winter, late winter and summer. Well, summer ended abruptly yesterday.
For those who haven’t read my blog in the fall in the past, “bon hiver” means “good winter” in French and it’s a traditional greeting for the day on which the first snow falls that sticks on the ground and begins the annual white build up for winter. It’s sort of a new year’s day in the mountains as the snow falls and wipes away the past year and creates a clean slate. “Bon hiver” was inserted into popular lexicon by the show “Northern Exposure” – a show that is a bit reminiscent of the high mountain town of Mammoth.
It came earlier than expected and as somewhat of a surprise this year. We had received a dusting of snow above 9,500 feet last weekend which left the peaks white, and the leave changing in town. On Thursday we were warned that the temps were about to dive, but that we’d just get a few flakes in town. Well, no. About a foot fell at the house and it’s clear that the snow is going to stick around on the ground for awhile and stay on the mountain for the winter. And as I write this it’s lightly snowing still.
This is a picture of a pond near Lake Mary earlier today. I thought I’d get a nice picture of snow around it, only to find out that it had already frozen over (to a slushy like consistency).
This is a picture looking towards Mammoth Crest (crest of the Sierra) from Twin Lakes. In the winter, this is the entrance to the groomed cross country ski area
And I took a hike around the old Mammoth Consolidated Mine site (1920s and 1930s) and the entrance to one of the mine shafts was surrounded by icicles, which was great. The mine temps are steady year round, but feel warm in the winter (above freezing) and so the snow melt around it.
So to everyone, bon hiver, and best wishes for the coming Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and all that stuff. I hope you have a good winter.
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