Well up here in Mt. Shasta, the Fall season is well underway. Lately there has been a steady drumbeat of acorns thudding onto rooftops, ricocheting off car hoods, and crunching underfoot with every walk through the woods. The oaks are in overdrive this year, dropping their bounty in wild abundance all over the damn place. A sure sign that winter is creeping closer and I will be skiing soon.
Locals say that when the acorns fall heavy, it means a snowy winter is on the way. Whether that is folklore or fact, you won’t catch anyone up here taking chances. The familiar rhythm of chainsaws and splitting mauls is echoing through the forests and in my front yard. It’s firewood season so it’s time to fill the woodshed.
There is something satisfying about cutting and stacking wood in preparation for the cold, snowy months. It’s more than just a chore — it’s a Fall ritual. It is hard to beat the satisfying crack of a round splitting clean and the earthy smell of oak and pine in the crisp air. The warmth of knowing, deep in your bones, that you'll be ready when the snow comes and the skiing is good.
A morning frost is already dusting the grass and the mountain has her first covering of snow of the season. The squirrels are busy as hell, the woodstoves are starting to smoke, and everyone’s layering up for their evening walks. It’s that golden window between fall and full-on winter, where the colors are rich, the air is sharp, and the pace of life starts to slow. Many of us have been daydreaming all summer about the upcoming skiing season and it is almost here. Now is the time to start pulling the skis down out of the rafters in the garage and getting them prepped for the snow slopes.
Here in Mt. Shasta, the acorns falling are more than just nature’s noise — they are a sign of change in seasons. Time to prepare, time to reflect, and time to reconnect with the rhythms that have guided mountain life for generations.
Winter is coming. I am almost ready for the snow to fly so do your snow dance!
Written By: David Cressman