Snow is one of the most expertly “designed” phenomena I have ever witnessed; I’ve seen many expertly designed snowflakes in my life.

To convey my love for both the process of the snowflake and the process of “shredding it” I’ve made the post and link to a gorgeous gallery of these incredible structures. And a link to these rad skiers, with heavenly snowfall pounding down on them as they shred the slopes of Alta!

In addition to my own photos of intricate clusters of snowfall, I have included a highly detailed image of a snowflake, for reasons that I cannot express in words.

With the help of AI, I learned the intricate beauty that is the process of “making a snowflake”, although, with most natural designs, the process still doesn’t compare to the sight.

First: Snowflakes start as tiny water droplets suspended in clouds. When the air temperature is below freezing (0°C or 32°F), water vapor condenses into ice crystals around a nucleus, such as a dust particle or pollen grain.

Then: The ice crystal grows as water vapor from the surrounding air condenses onto its surface. At specific temperatures, water molecules arrange themselves in a hexagonal lattice, which gives snowflakes their characteristic six-sided symmetry. High humidity encourages more elaborate and faster growth, creating intricate designs.

Lastly: As the snowflake falls to the ground, it encounters varying temperature and humidity conditions, shaping its final form. Each arm of the snowflake experiences similar conditions, leading to symmetry, but no two snowflakes are identical because the exact environmental path is unique.

All that makes the symmetry of a snowflake so stunning adds to the appreciation of them; even though we cannot see that detail as they fall from the sky, we can greatly appreciate it.

What makes me greatly appreciate snow is linked to the fact that I practically grew up on skis, often getting lost in a flurry of snow on top of a mountain.

These early experiences led to these later images of time in the High Wasatch mountains of Utah, at Brighton, Alta, Park City, and Snowbasin. The past two ski seasons have been absolutely bonkers (as a ski bum would put it).

I’m excited that 2025 will be another “bonkers” season, filled with more snowflakes and more blankets of intricate beauty miles to photograph!