This weekend in smartphone photography: I test my Russianness yet again by cross-country skiing into a snow storm. (Both Vladimir Putin and I use the same PR agency, in case you haven't noticed. Just kidding!)

Backcountry skiing in the Rocky Mountains involves living on the edge.

Literally!

Initially, the sky was as azure as it would have been at the height of summer. The dogs followed me along with their usual circling and play-fighting, and the only sign of the impending storm was the wind growing ever stronger.

Even though this year marks my return to cross-country skiing for the first time since high school, I already have my favorites. Breaking through freshly fallen, virgin snow is one of them.

And the shadows.

As is often the case in the mountains, the weather change occurred rapidly, with the insurgent and menacing storm clouds inadvertently (or deliberately) making the Sun look almost fairy-tale-like.

At times, you could see the exact boundary in the heavenly battle above, while risking falling onto one of the dogs, who somehow always ended up too close to my skis.

And the dogs themselves? After about an hour, they decided that my Russianness had been tested sufficiently and convinced me to go home.

Just in time.