First Snow in Homewood Canyon and the Old Ruth Mine Site

There are years the snow arrives early in the canyons above the desert floor. The high desert area of Homewood Canyon is one of the first to get snow. The desert here is about 1,500 ft. elevation and if conditions are right the snow arrives.

Falling temperatures, some rain clouds arriving and making it over the mountains to the area the snow arrived.
This year while the rest of the mid-west to east coast is coping with tons of cold and snowy conditions, as well as the high mountains of the west, the Homewood community got its' first snowfall. Driving out to the area is about a 10 mile outing from the town of Trona, California and about 5 or so miles up into the canyon. The town is sparcely populated and the historic Ruth Gold Mine is located there. The abandoned homes, and the mine, take on a new life with snow. For a while the past gradually decaying takes on a new and wonderful landscape with old buildings hidden, as well as the frame of the old mine.the mine is falling to pieces, and the old school, saloon, jail looking like ghosts from the past have a fresh face with winter snow.

The deeper snow usually comes after the new year begins. The mountains are colder in January and February and deeper snow changes the entire village to a Christmas card kind of fantasy. Looking at the wonderful changes nature provides as the seasons change will make the spirit lift as high as those mountains after a long hot summer in the Mojave Desert.