WLM | explore
off of the warm waters of the lake.”
I warmed the plane up and took off,
realizing within minutes that what I
thought was happening was in fact
correct: the little Palisade Reservoir
was creating lake effect snow!
Billowing off late autumn warm
waters, the lake was creating steam
that was coalescing into clouds. Those
clouds would then impact terrain,
leaving a thick layer of rime ice as
much as a half mile inland. I even
decided to skim the top of the clouds,
and there were sunlit ice crystals
floating in the air all around the
airplane. Now closer to the water, it
was possible to see the steam literally
floating off the surface of the water,
eventually becoming an entire cloud
and its own form of precipitation.
While most of society seems to come
alive during the summer months,
I crawl into a philosophical hole,
hiding until the heat blows over and
the rejuvenation of winter returns.
To some it sounds strange; however,
after each new step in the march
toward the dead of winter arrives, I
am out on foot or by plane checking
it out, retracing my steps to see
what is new and different, scenery
around us clothed uniquely after
each weather system. For the most
part, I am remiss that winter ends,
though I’d have to say that I do look
forward to not freezing to death in
the airplane. It has no functioning
heat, not that it would matter much
with the door and window open. W L M
Garrett Fisher is the author of nine books,
including Flying the Star Valley and
Above the Summit: An Antique Airplane
Conquers Colorado’s Fourteeners
(available on Amazon.com). He is in the
process of publishing a long list of aerial
photography books focused on the Rockies as
seen from his antique airplane. Garrett blogs
regularly about his aviation adventures at
www.garrettfisher.me.
www.wyolifestyle.com
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