26 December 2016

Stardate 2016.981




Christmas Eve 2016

One week ago we finally received some additional snow. High temps had to struggle to reach single-digits, and lows crept dangerously toward minus 15 Fahrenheit. Then, as often happens, we received high temps in the mid- to upper-40s along with a massive melt over two days.

This allowed me to venture up Waterton Canyon on the Black Pearl until the snow and ice brought me to a slippery crawl. The canyon has been sporadically open for the last several months while an upgrade to a water diversion dam and tunnel has taken place. It may be seen in the background. The canyon's resident bighorn sheep were out and about, too.




There is a short length of access road in the frigid "narrows" that receives zero sun this time of year.




The Strontia Springs Reservoir dam had a cold silence to it, as if dormant.



One of the larger rams has a fresh battle scar on his left horn. When I first started riding this canyon, there were four massive rams. I named them Gigantor, Broken Horn (part of his left horn was gone), Mutt and Jeff. They were always together. They appear to have disappeared in recent years. I do see some hints in the current lineage of larger rams as to who fathered whom. But the big four are no more... sniff, sniff.




Riding Joint Trails 1776/800 to their separation was my plan for the day.




The lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) forest was dark and gloomy at its entrance.




I didn't get much farther up the trail due to snow and ice, primarily the latter.



Below is a pinwheel; it's the result of dry snow (last week's cold snow) becoming wet for the first time (current warm temps). In an alpine setting, such as backcountry skiing, pinwheels are indicators it's time to get off the steeper slopes. Pinwheels often cover an entire hill slope. Pinwheels are mostly seen in higher altitudes in late March and early April when mountain snow conditions are changing from winter snow-pack (cold) to spring snow-pack (wet).




It's green, green, green... It' amazing how resilient forest understory is to snow and cold.




Shortly after my turnaround, I was back on the service road and heading down.




These medium-sized rams look tired; perhaps a bit dejected because the larger rams are getting the girls!




As the sun retires, so too does the temperature.




Well, there you have it! Thanks for sharing my Christmas Eve.

Merry Christmas!!

17 December 2016

Stardate 2016.962


a portion of the official Disney-licensed Christmas gift Snowcatcher picked for our grandbaby


Mountain Bike Magic

Anytime you can ride your mountain bike this far into December is magical. I was in shorts yesterday (15 December 2016). Tomorrow we're forecast for snow and a high of around 8 degrees Fahrenheit. Go figure! Nonetheless, the following pics may be the last for 2016. Happy New Year's early from the surrounds of Chatfield State Park. Let's start with one one of my favorite haunts – Waterton Canyon.




There's still remnant ice from last week's single digit deep-freeze, followed by a magical 50-degree warm-up.




The South Platte River sports magical shoreline ice in shady areas.




I had the trail, and magic, to myself.




You must watch-out for magical organic speed bumps.




The silence, can you hear it? It's magical!




Thanks for another year of magic!

Adios

06 December 2016

Stardate 2016.932


Crested Butte begins to slowly lose its afternoon sun.


It's Movie Trilogy Season

Finally! We have cold and snow approaching. It appears Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day will sport a high of 17 and low of -5 Fahrenheit. We may roll out of bed early Thursday morning to minus 11. That's cold enough to officially begin movie trilogy (or greater) season. Snowcatcher and I do not watch television and do not subscribe to a tv plan. However, we still have a television screen and dvd players. But before I list favorite trilogies, here are two recent non-trilogy movies I've enjoyed – Martian and Interstellar. I recommend both.





As mentioned in previous posts, I'm a big Clint Eastwood fan. A movie I found myself watching several times over the past year was 1968's Where Eagles Dare. This action classic takes us behind WWII enemy lines with Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood. It's a fun, action-packed movie.



During the Christmas season, I also pull out a short but good video featuring portions of a Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert. I guess you could call it a rock opera. If you like electric guitars, a classical string and wind section and classic Christmas music, I bet you'll like it. Better yet, attend a live concert of Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Their concerts are energy-packed and nothing short of awesome.



I think most of us have seen some, if not all of these films; I'm not going to do a write-up or review. I'm just listing a handful of fun films. Therefor, in no particular order, let's start with a trilogy of which I never tire...

Lord of the Rings


The Fellowship of the Ring
The Two Towers
The Return of the King


The Hobbit


An Unexpected Journey


The Desolation of Smaug


The Battle of the Five Armies


The Matrix


The Matrix
The Matrix Reloaded
The Matrix Revolutions


The Hunger Games


The Hunger Games
Catching Fire
MockingJay-Part 1
Mockingjay-Part 2


Dirty Harry


Dirty Harry
Magnum Force
The Enforcer
Sudden Impact
The Dead Pool


Planet of the Apes


Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes (1968 original)


Back to the Future


Back to the Future I
Back to the Future II
Back to the Future III


Jurassic Park


Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park The Lost World
Jurassic Park III


Additional films include...
Pirates of the Caribbean
Lonesome Dove
Star Wars
Star Trek

Et cetera

Thanks for viewing!

Adios
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