The only visible light is low.  Large snowflakes gently fall.  Balsam fir boughs droop under the weight of a early spring snow fall. The greying waning light darkens the background into black. 

Four feet of snow cover the forest. More than a foot has already melted. Snow has consistantly fallen for four months. The temperature has bitterly remained below freezing. The first freeze thaw did not occur until a week ago.  As a result the snowpack accumulated as one homogenous layer of deep powder. There are times when one would fall through the entire depth of snow from the top to the bare ground while wearing snowshoes!

Now, because of the first freeze thaw cycle, this incredible base of snow has encased itself. It's now a four foot tall platform rising above the forest floor that one can swiftly snowshoe or ski. 

The deer have congregated along the shore where the steep warm spring sun has exposed the steep southern facing patches I grass.  They nimbly maneuver the steep rocky outcrops nibbling whatever remotely edible swatches of vegetation that have flung on tithe talus through the winter.