A young pine tree weathers the latest winter storm.

The Bryce foliage can be lost among the more distinguishing hoodoos, but snow frequently simplifies the landscape enough to give trees their chance to shine.  I love winter in Bryce.  Heat gives way to cold, noise to silence, crowds to solitude.  I was the first person to hike Navajo Loop this morning after an overnight storm blanketed the ground.  As I floated down the trail on my snowshoes the red rocks blazed against white, but what caught my eye was a lone pine tree against a hill of pristine powder.  Under a cover of flat, wintry clouds it was difficult to identify where ground ended and sky began, allowing you to get completely lost in the moment.