One early winter day, we set out to hike a nearby peak. We packed our microspikes, anticipating some ice and patchy snow along the trail. Just over a mile and a half in, it became obvious that a summit was not in our future. Despite the crystal clear, bluebird sky day, the snow up to Bandera Mountain was just too deep to attempt without snowshoes. So, we switched course and headed around the mountain towards Mason Lake. Not having researched the trail ahead of time, we weren’t sure what to expect. But, we were rewarded with a breathtakingly beautiful, snowy wonderland. We sat on the shores of the frozen lake, watching piles of snow fall from the trees under the warmth of the sun. This hike quickly became one of my favorites we had done on the I-90 corridor.

It just goes to show that the sometimes when things don’t go as planned, they can be even better than we imagined.

These images were created using my Sony rx100 mVI and Sony a7riii and Lensbaby Velvet 28. Visit Lensbaby and use promo code wCarr for 10% off your purchase.