Snowcapped Mountains ~ Skyview

Christmas spent at home with the family is the best place to be.  Not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to do that and to those who cannot, we know you’ll be missed.  Family and friends are what makes this occasion so special, but soon we depart.  

Sunset in Kamloops, BC

The sun is setting on this January winter day and we see the glow on the mountains in the far distance.  We are not sure exactly which peaks we are seeing but the highest peak in the Cariboo Mountains in that area rises to 2946 m (9665’) and is unofficially called Mount Lyons.

Deicing the airplane

An early morning flight from Kamloops required some deicing due to a light overnight snowfall then this deicing was done in Calgary on the larger plane we were on to head south.  The color used here is green and the procedure was quite interesting to watch.  There are different colors used for different circumstances.

Snowcapped mountains

The route followed by this flight was directly south from Calgary, AB.  We were above the clouds for a distance but once we got past the heavy cloud we had so many opportunities to see the mountain tops.

Rocky Mountains

We follow the Rocky Mountains for many miles and are able to enjoy the many snow covered mountains from a viewpoint that many people could not.  We travel at 37,000 feet yet these mountain tops do not look too far away.  The distance is deceiving.

Mountains of western states

The Rocky Mountains extend from Alberta down into Idaho but looking at a map of that state we also see the Blue Mountains, Bitterroot Ranges with Salmon River Mountains as well as the Monitor Range. So not to leave any out, I would expect we may have seen mountains from each of these locations.

Snow covered ranges

The flight was a two and one half hour flight and we had these mountains to see out the window for almost two hours.  The small and not-so-clear windows definitely limit the views but still offer plenty to see and enjoy.

Desert of southern California

We followed the southern Nevada border to fly into Southern California. The last half hour we had sightings of the desert with some scattering of clouds.  The changes in topography were interesting, mountain tops with a different look.

The Coachella Valley

The snow covered mountains are beautiful to see but this was the sight we were looking forward to.  Blue sky with warm days of sunshine and no snow to shovel!  The Coachella Valley often has some signs of smog that arrives with the airflow from the big cities in the coastal areas but continues on.  Once we get on the ground, it won’t be noticed.  All we shall be seeing is the warmer side of winter.

Wherever you may be, enjoy your winter and the wonders of nature that surround us all.