Reality in Fiction – Mountain Snow

Another adventure that has made it into a novel was an early Christmas morning drive into the mountains during a heavy snowfall around thirty years ago. My husband and I were still newlyweds and were trying hard not to disappoint either family, so we participated in my family’s traditional Christmas Eve Mexican Fiesta, and agreed to join his family at a cabin in the mountains of northern Wyoming in time to open gifts on Christmas morning. 

We barely made it out of my parent’s place as the snow drifted in the lane, which should have been our first clue to abandon the expedition, but we were young, fearless, and accustomed to driving in bad weather. Heading out of town we quickly found ourselves ahead of the snowplows. After turning off the main highway the roads got progressively worse until we were driving through powder halfway up the grill of our four-wheel drive pick-up. The blowing snow froze to the windshield faster than the wipers could clean the glass, forcing my husband to reach out the window and brush off the snow with a gloved hand as we crept up the winding mountain road. The truck performed admirably, getting bogged down only occasionally, until we buried it in the parking lot where the road closed. While my husband dug the snowmobiles out that were promised to be waiting, I dug the truck out. By the time we got to the cabin we were relieved and we have never experienced such a white Christmas since.

The second chapter in A Dose of Danger is loosely based on Christmas morning drive. Grace Talbot’s journey wasn’t quiet as perilous, but she was alone, which makes any situation more suspenseful and dangerous. But, as you will find out, she is one tough lady.