Snow Mystery

One day, early in our trip, we noticed the snow was a funny texture and exactly the color of chai lattes. If it weren't for the funny texture, I would have dismissed it as a symptom of this addict's withdrawal (it was a chai-less vacation).  First I thought it was just in one area...but we skied high and low, far and wide that day.  The entire mountain range was covered in this mysterious snow.  How bizzare?

In the photo below, you can kind of see the chai colored snow layered in with the white stuff.

Never in a million years would we have guessed the cause.  

It is sand.  Sand that was blown to switzerland, in a windstorm, from the Sahara Desert.  Is that crazy?? It happens from time to time.  It was cool to be there to experience it.  This local article has some photos (and non-english info) from the same sandstorm.