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Category Archives: winter

Still Winter

But Spring is just around the corner. Skiing conditions are highly variable but when they are good, they are very, very good. We still get intermittant snowfall but also warm temperatures are lessening the snowpack in the valley. More animals are moving about. My neighbor even claims to have seen a chipmunk already! Seems to early for them to be out and about.

 

Making first tracks on the Community Trail near Browns Farm

 

Big Valley, seen from the Community Trail

 

Lots of squirrels are enjoying the warm afternoons. This one is perched just above its burrow in the snow.

 

The Methow River from the Suspension Bridge

 

Winter still has a pretty good grip up in the Rendezvous area.

 I know, it looks like I have been playing a lot; however I’ve also been doing some serious work. You can see that at Reflected Light.

 

 

 

Late Winter

Still lots of snow on the ground and with cold nights it is firm enough to walk on. Some days it is slush. Luna and Sam and I have been out quite a bit recently and the dogs are finding lots of interesting smells. Most are from the deer and voles, I think. But you’d have to ask Luna and Sam to know for sure.

 

 Yarrow against the sparkling snow

 

A serviceberry leaf still clings to the stem.

 

I think this is a big buckwheat. Or maybe a lomatium. I’m pretty sure it’s a buckwheat. I’ll remember in a couple of months when it starts growing again.

 

I found this fresh looking pair of antlers under a pine tree. It seems early for sheds.

 

 

Another Day at the Town Trailhead

Seems like there are always interesting things to see around here.

 

Mojo’s person was playing hockey. Mojo thought everyone else who came by wanted to throw his slobbery pine cone.

 

One of the hockey players gets ready to go home. His bike tires have screws for studs.

 

Mojo was disappointed every time someone skied away from him.

 

The shuttle took lots of folks up to Mazama to ski the 30k back to town.

 

Mojo thinks that by the force of his will, he can make me pick up the icky pine cone and throw it for him.

 

 Ken and Luna wanted their picture made in the sign. Well, Ken wanted it – not so sure that Luna did.

 

This Week on the Community Trail

The freezing rain that coated the soft snow with a hard crust gave the trail groomers something good to work with. The ski trails had been soft and slow with all the new, cold, dry and powdery snow last week – good for classic skiing. The last couple days, they trails have been faster and more fun for skate skiing.

 

A thin layer of fog hugged the lowest trees as the sunlight climbed up the hillside

 

Ice coated everything, even the fence wire

Skate skiers

Great morning on the MVSTA Community Trail

In and Out of the Fog

Freezing rain fell on our fluffy snow leaving a crust of ice behind. It also produced fog in the morning which quickly burned off to reveal more bluebird blue skies. The dog walk went from sunshine to fog to sunshine and more fog til it was just sunny and the fog retreated farther down valley. I heard that Twisp mostly stayed in the fog. Sorry Twisp.

A dried yarrow flower coated with ice

Luna, walking towards Shelley’s house

Sam thinks maybe she doesn’t want to walk to Shelley’s house.

It seems so far from here

Who walked here? A mouse? A vole?

Ice coated leaves

and branches

The neighbor’s driveway. They don’t come here in the winter.

Kelly emerges from the fog

And Luna. Think the tortoise and the hare.

Sam’s foot is turning white. As if it too was covered in ice or hoar frost.