Connie in Ouray

The Miller/Waters Official Snow Measurer clocked in 4.5 inches of snow yesterday, putting us at 68.5 for the season.  We're about even with last year, but we're quickly going to fall behind as the chances of snow for the next few weeks are slim to none.  La Nina! Incoming! Whitehouse Mountain from the trail Mike and I went to Breckenridge Monday to see the snow sculptures.  Not that I'm trying to veer you away from Ouray, but if you ever get a chance to see these, it's worth the trip.  They are amazing.  Judging criteria is degree of difficulty, execution, artistic expression, and creativity.  First place:  APEX-Zero Gravity, Germany My favorite and People's Choice winner: In The History We Remember, South Korea I just saw that the UIAA Ice Climbing Youth World Championship is being held at Ouray Ice Park next weekend.   The notice says competitors from eight countries, ages from 13-19.  That'll fill up the town!

 I heard on the news last night that a bear in Niwot County - near Boulder - was found out and about.  He/she apparently didn't get the news about bears hibernating November to March, and he was relocated.  This, of course, made me a bit antsy going up the trail this morning, even though I haven't seen any bear tracks in the snow. The Ice Festival started today, and the weather is perfect, highs in the 30s and lows in the teens and no snow, which apparently wreaks havoc with ice. At the overlook this morning - 19 degrees! Love those puffy pillow of snow You can see Bear Creek Trail 

 That was some kind of myth when I was growing up in eastern Kansas, that it could become too cold to snow.  It is currently snowing at eight degrees here on MFL.  At 9:15 a.m., we have reached our high for the day, slowing slipping down to a forecasted low in Ouray of -5.  We are in an extreme cold warning from 6:00 tonight until 11 tomorrow morning.  We do break out of it tomorrow, reaching a predicted high of 34 in Ouray.  I hope so because I need to get into the woods. Mike and I went to an avalanche information meeting last night at the community center.  It was hosted by CAIC, Colorado Avlanche Information Center, and it was so interesting.  Granted, neither of us do much in the back country, but information is always good.  The Ouray Trail Group goes out every Saturday snowshoeing, and MIke says they've been in areas before where they've turned around because of the terrain and conditions.   CAIC has built a beacon field acro...

 Yep, we're heading into a very, very, very cold week.  From this Saturday through next Wednesday, temperatures aren't expected to get above freezing, and the chances of sub-zero temperatures on Mineral Farms Lane for days in a row are very good.  It was below zero today when Mike got up, and we waited until 11 before going up the trail.  It was about 20 when we did.   David has been faithfully snowblowing the road in his bobcat.  It's so appreciated, because the road is in great condition, easy to get up and down. Bundle up!

 We've received 6.5 inches of new snow today, and it's snowing tonight.  At one point, it was really blizzardy (a word?), and I couldn't see the pond from my house.  Our total is now 57 inches. Yesterday, Mike and I went to Ridgway to our first ever skijoring event.  It was so cold - 14 degrees in Ridgway at 10:30 a.m., but we had dressed appropriately and were comfortable for the hour we were there.  For those who don't know, skijoring is "a winter sport in which a person on skis is pulled by a horse."  The horse has a rider, and there is a slalom course set up.  We watched the amateur division - it was free! - and it was so much fun.  Highly recommend. Then, in the afternoon, we finally plowed through the last 25 yards to meet up with the Sutton Mine Trail.  At one point, Mike punched through a four-foot drift, and it took him some effort to get out.  We stopped about 10 feet from the rock couch so as not to go tumbling down the cliff,...

 I snowshoed up Veenstras' trail this afternoon, and there aren't enough words to describe how breathtakingly beautiful it was today.  The sky was clear and that shade of blue only seen in Colorado.  We had another inch of snow yesterday, and since it's been so cold, the snow was still clinging to the trees in clumps.   I followed some different tracks up that were in single file, which is something cats do to distract prey.  I had some concern it was either a coyote or a mountain lion, but after I got home, I did some research, and I think it was a fox.  Mike was at Ironton cross-country skiing and said there have been recent moose sightings, and warnings are posted.  One of my favorite lines from Men in Black is, "We at the FBI don't have a sense of humor that we're aware of."  That would be moose.   The next week is going to be super cold with few chances of accumulating snow.  As Ouray is getting ready for the international...

 With our snowfall Saturday, we're now at 48.5 inches.   Alex and Dustin went up and down the trails yesterday twice because the snow was so fantastic.  Mike and I went up this morning, and it was so quiet and pristine and snowy.  We are so lucky to live here. Heading home before the storm

 We have snow in the forecast for tomorrow, 4-8 inches, but that could change in the next five minutes.  However, my sister in Lawrence, KS and my bestie in Topeka are under a winter storm warning from tomorrow morning through Monday, ice first, then 8-12 inches on top of ice.  I'm happy to be here. The Rotary Park ice rink has opened for the first time since we moved here.  There are broomball leagues, and after just checking the website, skates are free to use and are located in the warming hut.  I've only been ice-skating once, but hey, free... Mike decided to participate in the Polar Plunge at the hot springs New Year's Day.  Outside temperatures were in the 30s, and the water couldn't have been much warmer than that.  It's a fundraise for our local Special Olympics swim team. We went over to Ridgway today to walk the Uncompaghre Trailway.  Dempsey is struggling a lot with the loss of Mirabella and won't leave the perimeter of the house or go ...

 Mike and I went up to Ironton Park on Monday, him to cross-country ski, me to snowshoe.  It never disappoints.  The snow was fantastic, the views even better. We are sitting at 43 inches of snow for the season, about average.  The La Nina year predicted for the San Juans is definitely coming true, as the northern and central mountains are getting hammered.  Our forecast for the next few weeks is pretty bleak snow-wise, hoping they've got it wrong. The ice park is up and running...and hopping!  The parking lots are full, and downtown restaurants are reaping the benefits.  A few years ago, the "Ouray Plaindealer" had an article about the millions and millions of dollars the park brings into the city, and I try to remember that when the lookie-loos walk down the middle of Camp Bird Road.