and lastly.....

.....my 2011 play time in the mountains has come to an end!  No matter what, I was going to be out there today.  I knew I would snowshoe and I had some places in mind but the road conditions would be the decision maker of where I would end up.  I am still working on getting my winter driving confidence back, I have made headway but I'm still not 100% yet.  

The roads decided I would be snowshoeing the Elk Pass Trail and I agreed with that decision.  I arrived early, only two other vehicles arrived today before me and they were X-C skiers.  I was glad to see that as I like to be first and I was the first (and as it turned out, and the only all day) snowshoer.  Heading in I took the route dedicated to snowshoers.  There was a trail blazed but it was partially filled in with brand new snow.  I'm so happy with how this photo of my route up the hill turned out.  The sun's rays show instead of a bunch of purple dots.  

I kept stopping in the forest section, to look around in amazement at the beauty of all the snow.  

I definitely know I am a winter person!  

Lots of views like this today!

What are you starring at?

I stopped at the picnic table for lunch.  That's where the whisky jack joined me.  There wasn't even a breeze and I was able to spend a little time basking in the sun.  Don't ask what happened next in this photo.  I swear there was only tea in my thermos, even though it is New  Year's Eve!

I trekked through the meadow for a while on the way back, then worked my way out to the official trail.  I followed my tracks back until the hydroline and then made a bee line straight down in the powder back to the parking lot.

My car is just over this little hill.

I packed my snowshoes into the car, called it a year then hit the highway to home to where I could have something other then just tea!  It was very fitting to say goodbye to 2011 in a way that has become such a big part of my life, being out and about! 

GOOD-BYE 2011 !