January in Russia conjures up images of Muscovites crunching through the snow in bulky coats -- not bunches of delicate snowdrops blooming in grassy areas around still-standing Christmas trees ...

Towering snow-laden trees engulf me after hopping off the Flower Point chairlift and into out-of-bounds terrain. Eager to embark on my first journey through the backcountry, a tinge of nervousness ...