I was almost too excited. As you can see, the day was perfect. It was cold, but dry. The air was crystal clear, and the sky, an impossible blue. The low angle of the sun created wonderful shadows and drama. And all around me was. . . nothing! Just serene nature, perfect, unspoiled snow, and silence.

Every direction provided a new, stunning vision. The adrenaline and sheer thrill of the moment made it difficult to compose myself sufficiently to think clearly about what I wanted to do. The results were nice, but could have been even better. I wish we could have parked the car safely and explored this area further. In any case, my 30 minutes or so in this spot were a highlight of the trip.