The big melt

 Temperatures have been in the 40s on Mineral Farms Lane, so we are getting slush and melt.  The weather is changing over the weekend, though, with much lower temperatures and much higher chances of snow.  According to my very rough calculations, we are at about 86 inches at my house.  While I'm happy for that two feet we received last week, obviously sitting here looking out at my aspen forest, I want more and more.  We shall see.

When I was in town Monday for a haircut, I saw big dump trucks full of snow heading for the river.  There are huge piles of snow all throughout downtown Ouray, so they have many trips to go.

Friends and relatives who haven't visited here always seem to think we're so isolated, and I tell them that 550 is rarely closed, a truth.  After this storm, 550 between here and just north of Durango was closed for avalanche mitigation.  Silverton was essentially cut off, which they seem to embrace.  Once 550 was open to Durango, it remained closed to Ouray - severe avalanche warnings.  In total, 550 south was closed for maybe two days, a big nothing burger. 

It's March.  What the hell!