Winter is here!

An atmospheric river is pouring over the Pacific Northwest bringing much need rain and snow to the region. We woke up this morning to 2 inches of snow, a normal phenomenon for Rexburg with the exception of the last few years. Though it has mostly melted at the time of writing this, the surrounding hills and mountains are retaining their snowpack, with the Tetons receiving as much as 2 feet in some areas! This snowpack is essential to sustaining our water resources in the Snake River Valley.

My friends and I made the drive (in spite of the 60 mph wind gusts) to Swan Valley at 6am today to search for moose. Though we didn't see any big game today, there were abundant geese, bald eagles, a stray fox, and incredible scenery at every turn! We drove the dirt road to Fall Creek Falls, south to its source springs, and east towards the reservoir. The dirt road isn't quite dirt right now, with some areas covered in almost 8 inches of wet snow. Gratefully we didn't need or use the chains we brought though we did begin to scrape the top of the snow with my friend's Rav4. The road to Fall Creek will remain open until elk hunting season ends. We passed several hunters camped along the creek and out on the road spotting. As the temperature outside is above freezing, there was no ice on the roads so traction wasn't too much of an issue.

I am stoked to see the world covered in white once more! Snow and cold are essential to our ecosystem here in Idaho. Though it isn't the most comfortable season, winter is a time of dormancy and simplicity for nature. Simple, as in survival becomes paramount for the plants and animals that brave the cold. Raw as this is, there is incredible beauty in it all!

Dress warm, be smart, and live in the now. Even if winter isn't your favorite, you can still make the most of each day. Enjoy a few of our pictures below! There are noticeably less photos than normal as we spent more time playing in the snow than actually shooting.