I woke early this morning to a landscape covered in the season’s first snowfall. The snow was finishing off as the day lightened. I measured 4.6″ of wet snow, which contained 0.41″ of moisture. A nice start to what will hopefully be a snowy winter. I hope we all get numerous opportunities to slip on our snowshoes or cross-country skis and experience the magic that Pueblo Mountain Park offers when it is a winter wonderland full of lots of snow. I recall, many winters ago, on a Sunday afternoon, guiding some friends on a snowshoe up the Mace Trail and then bushwacking through many feet of soft powder down the north facing slope into the Devil’s Canyon drainage. And another time, when Helene and I arranged to meet some friends before the sun rose on a cold, crystal clear morning, to ski the meadows in the park. When the sun finally made it up over the ridge, we skied through a field of glimmering crystals, illuminated by the sunlight. And another time, just a couple of years ago or so, when my son Sequoia and his wife Brianna were down from Longmont on Christmas Eve. We skied upper road and the meadows in the moonlight and starlight. Helene and I were done, but they stayed out for more of an absolutely magical evening. They then spent the night in the lodge – a perfect Christmas Eve for all of us.
I took this photo this evening, from my deck looking towards the park – a lovely chilly evening sky over Pueblo’s very own mountain park.