DETOURED

ISO 100, f/20, 1/4 second, 19mm

  The best laid plans are filled with good intentions.
  This morning, my plans and intentions were to go to Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to capture some of the snowfall that we had gotten over the past 2 days. As I turned right onto Little River Rd to head that way the gate just past Tremont Rd to Cades Cove was closed and could not go that way. This was the first time I have ever seen this road shut down.
  With access to the cove blocked I turned down Tremont Rd with hopes that it was not closed as it had been the last time I tried to got there when it snowed. As I approached the Smoky Mountain Institute at Tremont the gate was open and I was able to continue on. WOO-HOO!
  As it turns out, being blocked from going to Cades Cove was a blessing in disguise. The further I traveled into Tremont, the deeper the snowfall was and the more beautiful the Middle Prong of the Little River became. Places I had photographed in the fall, summer, and spring were totally different now with 4-6 inches of snow on the ground and swelling streams. It was amazing!
  As the sun rose the blue skies were very prevalent as well with wonderful puffy white clouds floating all through them. What a great scene.
  Today's post is from one of the many parking areas along the road where I really loved the way the snow-covered pines, blue skies, and white clouds all merged together. I liked the way the road curved through the scene and only when I was processing the image did I noticed my own tire tracks leading in from the bottom left of the frame to mirror the roads curve. Bonus!
  Way more shots to post from a gorgeous morning in Tremont coming soon.