When the Lights Go Down

I'm sitting in the lodge, mesmerized by the sight before me. The sky looks like an oreo shake in reverse; white stars crystalized in the blue-black sky. Craggy peaks rip across the horizon; hours earlier I was skiing waist-deep in their folds. The lifts' hum has turned to silence. But it's not the stillness of the night, nor the sparkling sky that holds my gaze. It's the cats.

When the skiers are away, the snowcats come out to play. Well, in my mind, that's how the saying goes. It's my favorite mountain vision: warm orange beams of light glow dreamily across the cold blue mountains, displaying a perfect color wheel contrast. Moving slowly, the lights illuminate the snowcat's path as they rearrange the snow into perfect parallel lines and tabletops for terrain parks. It's an under-appreciated beauty, this scene. I get lost in it. 

Enjoy. 

(Thanks to Canyons Resort for making and sharing this favorite part of the day with me.)