It's October 10, 1981. I'm working in Sequoia National Park. The weather is mild and the ground is dry as I go to bed, but a cold front is approaching. The next morning I awake to eight feet of snow on the ground. I'm literally snowed in. By mid-afternoon maintenance men have cleared a path to my cabin. I'm awestruck as I step out into a winter wonderland.

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(Photo © 2006 David Sweet licensed to About.com, Inc.)