![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWw5mrguImZI5A09jMg4yZQKQKt5GfLGvAggZnO3B30cswAnKYkhZHEZk2L1UHJhZkXXErCiGZPc33rCTzZh9uo-wO5uVe9TWdC2cgGcGjSsjwq8dIpwMSGClDGyoEkJsCloGl8wn9_GAd/s400/to+the+mountains+header.jpg)
...we did. But there was none of the deep, spangled snow I was hoping for. Or very little. Just a dusting on the highest peaks, on the
crenellated cockscomb of the Gore Range. I was a little disappointed, I must admit. I had so hoped for snow.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhVMJvpOHIraQC9oLSXKLn2yh9yjT206_qcXNcum-NwvFaPhYiIqw3NBLILKTDI56sPcT1Z0Vnh1jhWhO6JqapGTdE5l4hfr0UuRUKhcki_QZafs1BQhNQ4m6cuhcBZjbDhK3mlxXuq7v/s400/DSC_0133.JPG)
But there were fanciful towers poised against a gauzy scrim of sky...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigkpkBsYgVwgpbZhp3rcw1K2akMltLE2kzMchR2QGg4QT9LR_TQTwx4u9Z8ETPep1NWf1FB4tpVipSczNA8VilsXiQDa5fWByN-Wpg-Uwc1sidMInnv0fkJI7GGZXwxfH1nWq9XNbje37t/s400/DSC_0152.JPG)
Beautiful old buildings in high, rickety mining towns...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi5iUAnEiCZ7KZu_eKiEIZ4i61q0LnQp45S_G_8waPwk4bdzw4OASE7hyV8vl56H3EcXMStKuXZy_xDzCAD5kcBZGJwMy1A48cPsrlBx3RU-Pqh4LuOyndAoKbIaGShdpMzLC_ERU-Wal9/s400/tower.JPG)
...rusty churches, their spires spiking into the thin mountain air.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfq1eQLWKx2vaVuI4qmcdLtMaGdZqp27FM_50MGzuc5PdCGXgOgvYzyw1F223fsDH18BBL7dOq20fwQ5e-lkqtZRCLm_9XNvrNnLofnTXundzmD6RQ__mIaQtOD8O6AY1sJXwNtmsrAAwK/s400/redcliff4.jpg)
Oh, yes, and there were frozen lakes, still and silent amid gilded meadows...and streams running through solid banks of ice.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRhL2I0Km8YPchLOqJGeNyCl6bPsDlbUsjQnPnecea7lWE9oVicJ6Map7YHXS4MCkAQ7BrKw7CgRhtxbp0t0BzRJqyjOlJSjWvb1V435whabZjI0kWc1d9A2LKC_PLA52IxhhZRy5s4_l_/s400/DSC_0196.JPG)
There were still rocks tumbling beneath the cold, cold water, just like I remembered, the mountains grinding molars in the depths of their winter dreams.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTZNSa8Gd1PeuO6Yg1oNCM3h4oQznWyAhyMwEVWw2C-FcuUdoZIx4O3IO21V0D9vqXZAj4-1ONvW1ch2UH19c2l_peqRAqHj8LEMd8Is5Ql9PG5a24eEETbVopNItY6QTUTCKgLliu8M4r/s400/DSC_0197.JPG)
There were villages of wood sprites enchanted into a frozen tarantella of frosted twigs.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXTCe1NFRA3OjR834xrn68zEzSEuxnqvfNyia1WMeH9fx60pmGZ-pTtXmUYpMZ7TXzJttpNV4FbFBGrIgoSNyXXx_Q69lQ3MG2EtVsrpfY87zsB253hUOPi1NfVN06djMC1SrY6fczPOV/s400/ice+collage.jpg)
And there was ice of all varieties...smooth ice, clear ice, turquoise and platinum ice, ice with crests and crystals and borders of frozen lace.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4BbAplieqkI55-gzON5kQld7GWSZLvXzb9jk2JNyzFGAarSD5Z147AkluZmTbeFBXsw9TYnIpspyxNaAsW_q8sxQpCnao4SNTCpYwjHj_a0QyF0SVTOD8kEwt8Lr4q5gLdEcVnKf3FeR/s400/DSC_0227.JPG)
And there were stars to be found everywhere, even in the least probable of places.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJAS72urVWSbtF_ClbxoCsICjkmFAaVcxihByDUHmJ6GWGWmKzJxGbdclkeISgZzax-GgTROi0anHJWAgO6q2iHiAA5YF3amcUUjUqs3KThIEsSl35bRJB_Hz4Mb0zmNVQwoSFtYJGZ-GK/s400/DSC_0336_2.JPG)
There were magical bears to ride, their
woolly, muscled haunches bound with Christmas wreaths, their fur tinged gold under the faerie lights.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenC4PGiILoxMAYw2rAmXRxNwce65Uqaw8Me-oGjk_0moQrlaN8eOfIo6miz-DT9wB5aUQZBeRqgRfaB1Cb7P7zuhDnEzCn8SWZAW1qCNX95Slg40pS8c-jSKi4Rg6TRgTExBWXIodtia2/s400/DSC_0339_2.JPG)
And little girls to ride those bears...little girls in red coats, their noses pink and their eyes shining dark as coal.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVD_6qOwPoGN06v2V-nIkgZtW-LeslbPgruo3q-pkRhePFOYKNsOFbj3wo4M7R6LI7gIK_Ei-xbABDo7a86iGWOzBnbDSoUF1msadPxGOdKhMDjXSXCB-LN1jiQ2O8Y0VmmD4mE6_tpD3/s400/candywindow4.jpg)
There were windows full of candy...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyXHe-x_8UiQhbhXOkAYOlyupeEgCNLytGxsOqE7GbI7PrqF18QTdU5FYkUk1QezGeedVAfQ-wAqhyphenhyphen2N6asTJIU-hZ6oXbh0uYKdCdNTR1il-UsZTR5K6nVdN6DOReaYn62XbO3gMJqphL/s400/DSC_0348.JPG)
...and wooden benches strewn with fur rugs to warm cobble-worn legs.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Jl7zwCr097u1ygIFQQRQZutqdawk7ec6eb1TFU4s0AeLC2m9uidZEvcs6L4AndE45PgypThtFaWXGjjPDxlyA0yz8GLw_wrqxBm5ficxuPlQ-MkCC2kCEmoLI3Nc247iBWeBB6M_F-ma/s400/DSC_0352.JPG)
Streets aglow with a father's love, tiny fingers touching chilled cheeks...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVasLCqmL47SSd7XqWu6eaxJ89FBvFM8sw-lMp5PMmW6GM_bxf0wAsqsaw6i6aggWgYlSV8Toi1vC0J609zu8q_JlYLpFWbr5bPkfCyTS9r-a66BSzkLH4w2ll1Dhyphenhyphenf69sAvS7G8EoUd-x/s400/DSC_0360.JPG)
...and dancing fountains...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzINAUzVFiTA6WPQ2EMndmzWAdwxgusd6ET6f1LWS-gr4l1W-cgFMz49AUcAhErfgGhaUjucGG1rv5YbTKJ970tmclFN0oJwJF5kZTHW128IDoEBskAPQZWFKdaPFtZAfECGBv6MxxcyAG/s400/lighttree4.jpg)
...and a million tiny moths of light hovering in place, suspended on the crystal breath of winter.