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Tag Archives: winter

Settling into Winter

After two years of lower than average snowfall, this season we are happy to see lots of snow on the ground with more on the way. We rang in the New Year with below zero temperatures and clear skies and glimpses of northern lights. I enjoyed time with our friends and did not try to get photos on that frigid night!

The skiing on groomed trails is wonderful and up until this week, skiing in the hills and backcountry has been marvelous! It made me wish I had some more rugged skis with skins for climbing the hills. A few days ago the temperature warmed over thirty degrees and it felt downright balmy at 34° Fahrenheit.  Of course, that sort of ruined the two feet of powder snow, leaving a one inch crust on top of it. It makes it very hard to get around once you are off the beaten path. Even for dogs but Sky seems to manage.

Speaking of dogs, Luna had to have surgery last week to remove a cracked tooth and an unusual growth on her side. The growth is benign so we can quit worrying about that. Whew. She has had to be less active and is missing her dog friends and skiing at Big Valley but the stitches need to time to heal. Hopefully in another week or so she can resume her regular fun activities.

Winters can be hard on the native birds so we put out black oil sunflower seeds, nyger seeds and suet for the songbirds. That also attracts raptors like hawks and kestrels who might try to take advantage of the situation. We figure that they all need to eat and are happy to see the diversity of species.

Frost on the snow
We’ve grown a few pretty impressive icicles!
Classic skiing above Pearrygin lake
So nice to be among live ponderosa pines!
More new Snow
Sometimes Sky has a hard time finding sticks with all this snow cover
Sky normally sits up straighter than that.
When will we get cookies?
Common Redpoll and American Goldfinch
This American Kestrel is pretty efficient at hunting Mourning Doves
Female juvenile Northern Goshawk
She’s probably hitting the Mourning Doves pretty hard too.

Big Valley Skiing

These images are from earlier this week when the girls and I went out to Big Valley to enjoy the newly-groomed ski trails. We returned yesterday with Ken for our annual Christmas ski and had more fun but I didn’t make any photos. It was similar but with more people out celebrating with their friends, families and dogs!

Big Valley is part of the Methow Trails system of over 200k of Nordic trails in the Methow. Skiing is free for people at Big Valley but dogs do need to have a trail pass.

Brand new tracks for classic skiers and corduroy for skate skiers.
The girls were happy to see their friends Trip and Bree at the trailhead too.
Watch out for snow dumping out of trees!
Winter Wonderland
Pretty poodles out enjoying the day.
Delightful skiing through the woods.
Bluebird skies
Luna
Sky wants me to throw the ball that Luna swiped from Bree and gave to Sky as an early Christmas present.
Almost back to the trailhead.

Frozen Falls Creek Falls

Yesterday was a lovely day to visit Falls Creek Falls. It is a short drive from Winthrop and I love to see it in any season. Never mind that the temperature was probably hovering around ten or that the sun had already descended beyond the mountains. The falls were incredibly beautiful and partially frozen and we could drive to the trail. So far there is not enough snow to close the road although there is enough that you might want four wheel drive.

Each section of the falls presented its own little vignette of ice and water. It was hard to decide where to point my camera next and when to stop. Part of the time, my feet in their warm pack boots, were partially submerged in the edge of the creek. My tripod had ice up to the top of the first section when I was done! Cold hands brought me to a finish before I was ready to be done.

This is the creek downstream from the falls at the road.
Ken made this picture of me when I was standing in the creek.

Here is another view of the falls in winter when we had to ski to the trailhead.

Dogs Just Want to Have Fun

Early snowfall in the North Cascades makes everyone happy around here. After two low snow years, we are hoping (against predictions) for lots and lots of snow for fun and to replenish the depleted aquifers and streams and maybe to give us a reprieve from wildfires next year.

MA and I loaded the dogs and various layers of winter clothes and drove to Rainy Pass where we found ten inches of snow on the ground and hardly any tracks. We were the first to walk to Rainy Lake. It looked like some folks had gone to Maple Pass – nothing we wanted to try in winter conditions. The dogs and especially Luna were delighted to see snow again! It seems like so much more fun for them to run and romp hard with a soft white blanket to cushion the crashes.

At the lake I attempted to re-create a portrait of Sky that I made two years ago when she was a three month old puppy. You can see the original here. It’s similar but she is looking the wrong direction. My fault!

Like a Christmas card.
Quincy and Luna
Frida
Everyone in one image
But mom, she took my stick
So quiet in the snow-covered forest
Rainy Lake looks cold
Please throw the stick
We’re not so sure about that idea
Throw the stick
Like two years ago
I’ll get it!
The older dogs slowed down on the way back
What’s over there?
An attempt at a four dog portrait

A Walk in the Woods

On Friday we went up to the Loup and enjoyed a walk on hard-packed snow on a Forest Service road. It was a nice change of scenery with tall healthy ponderosa pines and western larches. The dogs seemed to really enjoy being someplace different. Different smells, sights and sticks too. We saw some moose tracks and heard plenty of Pileated Woodpeckers and Mountain Chickadees. We walked about five miles or so and little Quincy kept up all the way and was not overly tired.

Attempting to get a photo of all four dogs.
Now that’s a stick.
Let me have it!
Mine.
Oh, ok, you can have that end.
This plant must keep its leaves all winter. The snow just melted off of it.
Willow buds.