Winter Comes to Bend

Mid-February, snow was in the forecast, there was but one thing to do.

Time to visit Central Oregon!

A snowy Mt. Washington

After that snowy Thursday (the one that had my skiing friends doing the happy dance), the clouds opened up.  Although Mt. Hood only gained a couple of inches, Central Oregon was the big winner in the snowfall jackpot.  Mt. Bachelor reported a whopping 6 inches.  Even in town, Bend boasted a thick blanket of the white stuff.

My brother's snow-covered front yard

Early Saturday morning found me traveling over the Cascades, Bend-bound.  Winding down Santiam Pass, I just had to stop and take some photos of Mt. Washington's breathtaking snow-covered peak.

Some of the neighborhood locals

Pulling into my brother's street, I was greeted by a herd of locals, calmly munching on the neighbor's landscaping.

Lovely winter scene

Although I was eager to sample Mt. Bachelor's new snow, they were reporting high winds (aka 60 mph gusts) that effectively shut down most of the lifts.  With skiing no longer an option, my brother invited me hiking.

Snow covered bushes

You know me, I never say no to a hike!

Domino loves chasing snowballs

So my brother, his wife, and their young dog Domino all headed to one of their favorite trails on the outskirts of Bend.

A happy pup

There's a huge trail network west of town that follows the Deschutes River.  My brother comes here often to exercise his dog.  Domino always has lots of energy, and it's the perfect place to let her run.

Wind-blown snow makes a pretty scene

We parked near a closed road, covered in a thick blanket of white fluff.  Following the road, I marveled at the lovely snow-covered trees.  Mother Nature does a great job of decorating!

A sunburst peeps through the forest

So... many.... photo subjects!  I lagged behind from the very beginning.

"Domino, fetch!"

The road we followed was above the Deschutes River.  Every once and awhile the trees would part enough to give me a teaser glimpse of it.

Deschutes River view

Meanwhile Domino was having a blast running after pinecones, and jumping in the air trying to catch snowballs in her mouth.

 Snowball action shot

Is that a happy dog, or what?

Face of a happy dog

After a short trek, we drove down to the banks of the Deschutes.  While Domino took a dip in it's frigid waters, I roamed the bank looking for interesting subjects.

Lovely white bushes at river's edge

Of course, I found tons of stuff to photograph.  Such as these snowy bushes.  Or some colorful vegetation lining the river bank.

Bright colors along the Deschutes

It was wonderful to take a walk in the newly-fallen snow.  And nice to be outside on a sunny winter's day (and be reminded that, yes it is indeed still winter!)


Sharing with:  Saturday's Critters and Scenic Weekends.