Month number four, our final month, in Nathrop Colorado…
Arleen returned from Montana on 5 February. The drive over Monarch Pass to Gunnison was beautiful and the roads were dry! We had a nice lunch at one of our favorites: The Gunnisack. We also stopped at our favorite fly-fishing shop, where Oscar, the owner, treated us great as always. There was no way we could drive past the huge snowman without stopping for a quick picture! We were very glad to be back together!
- Weather
Average February high temp: 42.8F Average low temp: 13.5F Average snow: 5.6 inches
Here is what we experienced February 2013:
Snow: 6.5 inches
Lowest temps: -10F on the 25th and -7F on the 13th
Beautiful morning walk after getting an inch of snow
4.5 inches of snow on 21 Feb
Weather Summary…February 2013 was about average. Thankfully a few good snowstorms helped bump up the mountain’s snowpack. By the end of the month, snow was at least knee deep in many of our play areas. The snowshoeing, skiing, and snowboarding were excellent. Hiking and geocaching were hit and miss due to either too much snow or sloppy and slick conditions. As the days got longer, the temperature swings got bigger. We even enjoyed a few days warm enough to forgo jackets!
- Hikes and Geocaching
A great hike on the old railroad bed and part of the Colorado Trail…We placed our first geocache, see it?
A panoramic picture of Mt Princeton, Chalk Canyon, and Chalk Cliffs
This was a pretty, but cold hike near Granite, Colorado
This was a loop hike on the Midland Trail near Buena Vista…It snowed heavily for about 20 minutes
Another hike on the Midland Trail system near Johnson Village…We enjoyed watching the snow showers on the mountains
This was a pretty, but cold hike along the Arkansas River in Salida
No fishing?!? Water is required for that, isn’t it?!?
This was a spectacular hike along the Arkansas River, downstream of Salida, in 3 inches of fresh snow…Arleen looks for a geocache
This was a tough hike up the Mt Princeton road…Where is Scrat, the squirrel from Ice Age?!?
Looking about 2,500 feet down and then 2,500 feet up to Mt Princeton…we’re only half way up?!?
On the way down, the little squirrel was telling me that it was the boss!
This was a fun hike in Browns Canyon with rock hound Mary on a warm day
Mary and Arleen posing at the Key Hole with Mt Columbia in the background and checking out rocks
The rocks got the best of Mary, but she laughed it off. I hid a heavy rock in her backpack!
A hike near Granite. We expected to be on a snow-packed road, but some spots had knee-deep snow! Found 1 geocache.
- Geocache total: started the period with 113 and found 12 more to total 125…placed our first cache!
- Playing in the snow
20 inches of new snow at Monarch!!!
Our four-legged friend likes to chase snowballs
Making a snowwoman with Karina and Jenna…we had a lot of fun!
Spectacular day of snowshoeing near Poncha Pass
Looking north towards Poncha Pass and the Sawatch Range
Looking east through southeast at the Sangre de Cristos
We snowshoed the Colorado Trail, up to our geocache, two days in a row
During a storm on 26 Feb
The same spot the next day…
A beautiful day snowshoeing near St Elmo…the snow was 2-3 feet deep off trail
Hmmm…maybe I should get out of the avalanche shoot!!
- Visits from parents…Both sets of my parents visited!
First my dad and step-mom made a day trip from Pueblo West. We chatted in our little home for a couple of hours and then had a great lunch at The Boathouse in Salida.
Then my mom and step-dad spent two nights nearby in Buena Vista. We really enjoyed a day trip 30 miles north to Leadville…the highest city in the U.S. The Mining Museum educated us and kept us entranced for two or three hours. We could have spent more time there, but got hungry and left for a great lunch at the Tennessee Pass Café. Each time we see my parents, they insist that we give them Pinochle lessons, so we obliged!
Horses pull skiers at mach speeds over two jumps and past two sets of rings. The skiers try to spear the rings as they race to the finish line. It was quite exciting!
Wipeout on the little jump! Spearing the rings Hitting the big jump
Hitting the big jump with lots of speed Big air…but no rings!
Our final six weeks in Nathrop were fantastic! Lots of snow fell and we played!
We’ve been here four and a half months…it’s time to move on. We are both excited and a bit sad to leave. We have been very comfortable and there is plenty to keep us busy. The scenery and variety of outdoor activities are hard to beat, not just during the summer, but all year. Tamara and Lars, the campground owners, treated us great and we glad to call them friends. If you visit Colorado’s upper Arkansas River Valley, consider a stay at Chalk Creek Campground.
- Next we get some work done on the trailer, visit family along the Front Range, and then head to Ridgway State Park in western Colorado for about two weeks. From there, we venture into Utah!
- Parting shots
(23,730)
No comments:
Post a Comment