One (hundred & fifty)-
horse open sleigh?

No, but Monday night's snowfall certainly did make for a picture-postcard commute, as evidenced by this driver's-eye view out in Agate Tuesday morning. The white stuff closed county schools for two straight days.

AL WALP SURVEYS the damage done to his backyard by the storm of December 2-3. He worries the next storm might wash away his home.

A peek at a peak

A snow-covered mountain is between the trees in this photograph taken on Monday from the Lake Cushman area.

NAH, CUZ GUARD Levi Sutton (with ball, inset) is breaking the Lancer press not roaming the key on the Climbers' offensive end. Besides, courtside SHS band members (from left, near) Jamie Carlson, Katie Jensen, Kaira Hoag and Shenelle King undoubtedly paid way more than a penny for their implements, inflation being what it is. The game the refs were watching? It saw the Lancers of Lakes High School easily live up to their #1 state ranking despite the absence of their two best players. They left their SHS hosts in the dust by a score of 66-45 despite a combined 23 points from Climber seniors Derek Johnson and Will Trondsen. Our capped piccolo apologist above? He's band member Jacob Cook. With clarinet at the ready in the background is Wendy Gorman. Not at all incidentally, by the way, #20 in the inset is the aforementioned Trondsen.

BETRAYING NO STRAIN during another notably rigorous practicesession in the Minidome Monday is the Climber hoop girls' all-league Energizer bunny from the soccer pitch, junior Erin Ranney. In the insets, all-league senior guard Brynna Fuller breaks a simulated press and junior Alexan Ehrich yet another all-leaguer from the soccer wars and a standout sprinter in track as well launches a baseline jumper.

TO THE AMUSEMENT of timer Kelsey Fraser as well, the Climbers' Cass Hildreth gets caught in a high-five moment the other day at the SHS pool, scene of league dual-meet action. Shelton's boys bowed narrowly to Timberline last week as they got back in the competitive swing of things after their customary grueling holiday-break turnout regimen. Identifiable behind ninth-grader Hildreth in the inset photo are (from left) junior teammate Tim Russell, veteran co-coach Chad Youngquist and Climber frosh Isaac Wilson.