Tahoe Drama

Beaver Bowl, Alpine Meadows Ski Resort, California

Athlete: Jonny Moseley

Camera: Hasselblad XPan

What makes it special: A dramatic view of our ever-changing Tahoe world.

The story:  "From season to season the diversity of Tahoe's template is unmistakably unique. Tahoe is incomparable with any place else on earth. Every day promises a new experience, a new perspective of the dramatically changing landscape.

The lake is always my reference point. There are so many wonderful vantage points to gaze upon her crystal waters. We climb, we bike, and ski on mountaintops from all sides of her shores, on all points of the compass. Some areas offer a 280 degree panoramic experience of the water, others a meager slice - but each contains her voice. The lake is the key element that makes Tahoe feel like no other place.

Immersing ourselves into the textures of the land has become a habit for us who live here. With the reference point of a maritime snow pack that promises hundreds of inches of coverage annually it is no surprise that this place offers such a huge range of textural change from season to season. Up here, the transformations are quick and each day brings a fresh perspective completely different from the day before.

With each winter storm cycle Tahoe is buried in a fresh blanket of white snow that purifies and unifies everything it touches. As the sun rises, the dancing snow crystals fill the air. Our Sparkling wintry world reigns for only a brief moment. Within an hour, the temperature rises and everything starts to melt, once again uncovering the myriad of tones and textures that makes up our mountain world.

While working on the Ski Lake Tahoe segment for Warren Miller, we spent seven cold storm days exploring the light fluffy snow in the trees. The visibility was low, so we skied by feel. On the eighth day the storm cleared, we rose in the dark and found ourselves on top of the mountain at sunrise ready to get the goods. The emotional transition from the soft diffused light of the storm to the bright crisp blue of the clear day is unreal. This day it was exquisite. Crystal particles danced off my breath as I watched the storm clouds dissipate over the lake. With heightened senses, I was reminded of how special and inspiring Tahoe's light is. The countdown over the radio brought me back. Jonny came in hot and went deep. At times it looked like he would never come up for air. What a magical day to be alive."