It Snowed In Park City....

Well, almost anyway. But at least its cold enough now to make snow. That's a step up from last week. It is starting to get a little frustrating though. Moral is low, and people are getting anxious. That's what happens in a ski town when the snow doesn't fall. Things may be looking up soon, but who knows. We do have a monster storm heading straight for us. If there are no drastic changes to the storm or the jet stream, it looks like it should hit around Tuesday morning. We then have a 30-40 percent chance of snow each day until Sunday. Like always, the storm is too far out to get overly excited about its effects. It does, however, at least shine a little hope our way.

I definitely have a different perspective on the snowfall than ever before. Before, it was always seen as a means to my addiction...skiing. It was a simple cycle. It snowed, I played. When it stopped snowing, I was off 2000 miles to a sunny river for the summer. Now that I have endured the journey through all four seasons here in Park City, I see the other side effects of the snow. If we don't have a big snow year this season the results will not only keep me from skiing, but I will also have to endure the resulting drought next summer.

Its funny to think how big of an effect that something so inconsistent has upon my life. The weather not only plays a role in my attitude, but it also guides my daily activities. No snow means no skiing. In turn, no snow means no kayaking in the summer. If mother nature decides to curse us with extensive rain in the spring to make up for low water levels, that means no canyoneering either (due to flash flooding). No snow in the winter, as well as rainy days in the summer, make for restless and disgruntled moods, too.

While this all seems negative, I wouldn't dare change it. It could (and probably will) turn out to be quite the opposite: Epic snow year, high-water river season, and minimal flash flooding in the desert. I certainly haven't given up hope, nor will I anytime soon. While snow isn't guaranteed, it'll come. So build a fire and do a snow dance...there's a storm a brewin'!

PS: Global warming affects all of us. Visit www.fightglobalwarming.com to see how you can make an impact.