[plinko]

Every once in awhile, I forget just how beautiful it is where I live. Every once in awhile, I get reminded. It's pretty cold here right now (well, relatively), just 47 degrees this afternoon. But after a morning of heavy heavy rain, all of a sudden the sun broke, and as the mountains uncovered themselves of clouds, a nice dusting of snow revealed itself. This doesn't happen every year (though it did last year) and i decided to take advantage of the sunshine and take a little drive.

The snow level had dropped to about 2,500ft and the ridgeline behind the city is about 3,800ft.

From my living room:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW003.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW006.jpg

Up Gibraltar Road:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW009.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW011.jpg

The November Tea Fire reached about 2,000ft in elevation up the mountains. It's amazing it got stopped where it did. The devastation below was unbelievable.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW017.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW027.jpg

Snow!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW028.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW032.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW033.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW039.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW040.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW041.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW042.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW043.jpg

Where the mountains meet the ocean:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW046.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW047.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW049.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW051.jpg

Once you get to Camino Cielo (the ridgeline), you can see the backcountry of Santa Barbara County, a harsh mountainous environment that reaches upwards of 6000ft+ in many places. The backcountry was blanketed.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW059.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW065.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW067.jpg

One of our water sources, the Gibraltar Reservior:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW068.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW071.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW075.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW081.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW084.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW085.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW088.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW090.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW100.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW103.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW105.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW107.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW108.jpg

Santa Cruz, meet Santa Rosa:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW109.jpg

Santa Barbara Airport and UCSB:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW112.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW118.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW123.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW125.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW128.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW130.jpg

Just gorgeous:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW131.jpg

One of my cats just taking it all in stride...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/plinko923/SANTA%20BARBARA%20SNOW%202009/090213SANTABARBARASNOW001.jpg

[WonderlandPark]

I saw it on the hills above Santa Paula today, pretty low snow level.

Waaaaaaaaay to many pics, tho. Not everyone has reliable high speed all the time.

[le calmar]

Wow! Landscape at its best.

[Top Of The Park]

I love the area...and those shots..wow!

[wisla_krakow]

santa barbara is one of the most beautiful places i've ever been too.
btw, how cold/warm was it in the city?

[giallo]

The clouds clinging to the mountains look awesome.
Great captures!

[SuburbanNation]

holy crap that rules! number one thing i love about California...the unique dynamics of ocean and mountains so close together.

i'll be in the general big sur area in june and i'm curious as to the extent of the fires...i suppose i'll find out.

[peanut gallery]

Stunning photos, plinko. The clouds and snow really add to the drama.

[Bergenser]

Great nature there!

[ChrisLA]

Very nice, its not often you see snow in mountains so close to the ocean. Well at least not in California, we we're used to seeing this more inland.

Anyway I love visiting Santa Barbara, but I never been up in the hills above it as most times I take the train up from Los Angeles and have no car.

[OhioGuy]

Certainly some great shots of beautiful scenery. :tup:

[Texas Tuff]

Very nice pics. "Santa Barbara-a winter wonderland" is certainly not a phrase you hear very often! Santa Barbara is truly a rare gem and IMO is one of the most beautiful areas on the west coast.

[Jeff]

that was beautiful! thanks for sharing!

[ambiguoustraveller]

What beautiful photos (and scenery)!

[denveraztec]

Wonderful shots. Santa Barbara is one of my favorite places on the coast.

[dktshb]

Great photos. This is the 4th time this year we've had snow in the hills above Chatsworth where I work. Prior to this year I only saw snow on those same hills twice in the 12 years I've worked in Chatsworth. The San Gabriels in Los Angeles got over 2 feet of snow.

[whatsthepoint13]

So interesting. I love it.

[skyline]

Nice set of pics, and the low level snow was to cool. Bet lots of locals hit the hills to play in the snow when it occurs.

[Vidiot]

and this thread pretty much sums up why California is the best among all 50. :notacrook: