These past two weeks we've really seen a transition from autumn to winter here in Reno. Prior to Thanksgiving I had a couple of opportunities to get out and go hiking. Scotty Strachan and I did an afternoon hike up Snow Valley Peak, which overlooks Carson City and Marlette Lake. I'd highly recommend the peak. It can be accessed from the Spooner Summit trailhead of the Tahoe Rim Trail. Alas, with the recent snow that will probably be one of my last hikes of the season that doesn't require snowshoes.
This last week we received our first major storm of the winter in the Sierra, which included a little dusting down here in Reno. The snow seemed to be perfectly timed to make it feel a bit more holiday-like. Most of the major ski resorts are open now, but it will still take quite a bit more snow for them to open all of their terrain. Next weekend I'm planning on doing a little skiing at Northstar, which is the resort that I chose to get a season's pass for this year. The following weekend Holly and I will be headed to Jackson Hole for Christmas.
I filed all of the paperwork for graduation, so now I'm official. Although I'm graduating this semester I won't walk in the ceremony until next semester. Also, I've submitted my first manuscript for publication in an academic journal: the Annals of the Association of American Geographers.
