Winter Wonderland

So I've been missing in action for a month now...been a little busy over the holidays and travelling back and forth. I got back into Welly on Tuesday morning but I think my body is still on Vancouver time as I can't seem to stay awake past midnight. So it's taking me a little longer to get through my photos, but here are some random shots from around Vancouver.

I named this first picture "Snow People" cause I think it looks like a bunch of snow people wandering around. A few friends have made Tim Burton or Dr. Seuss comments on it like it's a scene out of some weird movie :)

After a fresh dumping of snow overnight up at Grouse Mountain, I decided to go snowshoeing for the first time in my life. I gotta say, if you've never been, it's definitely something you should try at least once. Having said that, I think I'm also very biased having being spoiled by the best conditions possible. The snow was knee to waist deep off the trails, all pristine fresh powder, and the trees as you can see were COMPLETELY blanketed. With all that snow providing sound insulation, snowshoeing was a surreal experience. Crazy scenery and deafening silence. It was very overcast and even a bit foggy when I went. Visibility was really limited which added to ambiance as everything 100 yards away would disappear into a thick fog.

This is the outdoor skating rink at the top of Grouse Mountain. In the background you can see the SnowCat and red seated sleigh...that's "Santa's Sleigh Ride" which will pull you through a trail in the forest.

The dual peaks known as "The Lions".

The lake at Cleveland Dam.

The view from Grouse Mountain, looking South towards downtown Vancouver. I wanted to wait a little longer for twilight to get the city lights, but I was getting too cold and hungry...plus that also meant waiting another 2-3 hours!

"Scenic Tours"...half buried.

Similar to the "Snow People" photo, this is my "Snow Canes" pic...candy canes made of snow! :)

And one last one.