Quick trip up the Incline

Azure skies and brilliant sunshine extended their cheerful greeting this morning and the perfect workout for snowy - slushy conditions is the Incline.  So I laced up a pair of screw shoes, donned a running skirt for some vitamin D action, and made a quick trip over to Manitou.  Surprisingly, the normally overflowing parking lot at the Barr Trail trailhead was almost empty.  Made my way around the bluff to the bottom and started the march up the mountain.

Yes folks, read the sign - I AM a lawbreaker.  So are thousands of others in this fine town who regularly trek up the hill.  Good news for all of the lawbreakers - it's on the verge of becoming legal.  Yahoooo!!!

Nearing the top, it was shady and cool.  

With one mile and 2000 feet of vertical gain in the legs, a fellow lawbreaker snapped this photo at the top.

Awesome beauty on the way down.

I love rocks!

The run down Barr Trail was part super-slush, part snow-pack (awesome traction!), and part dirt.  Made it to the bottom safe and sound and continued to savor the awesome sunshine and blue skies.

Caught this little buck foraging in our front yard and perennial flower garden (looks like a bunch of weeds at this time of year) in the afternoon.  He dug himself a nice hole in the snow then moved on to check out the bird feeder to the right.  He was a little ticked off because the BIRD feeder was EMPTY.  Oops, my bad.  After he moved over to our neighbor's yard, I filled it for the next group of visitors.  Notice the buck in our neighbor's yard across the street.  There were also two does to the right of the little guy in our yard.  Couldn't fit them all in the photo!
Happy Trails this week!

Play Day in the Snow

Got some good wet, heavy snow last night and were expecting more today.  However the sun broke out late morning, so instead of staying in for the day, we ventured out in the cold for a little trail/snow run. The storm actually went "dry" as the fancy weather folk would say.  Cold north wind kept the accumulation low, whereas a warmer, upslope wind would have dumped more on us.  We got about 6 inches total in the NW part of town, so not too bad.  Ute was a winter wonderland when we got out.

 

Usually get this more in the spring snows, but I love the icicles on the spruce.

 Kathleen heading into Ute Valley, glad to be out of the wind!

 

 Footing was tricky as there was water running under the snow in a lot of spots.

 

 Looking over the bluff toward the mountains.

 

 Kathleen navigating the boulders - the snow hides a lot of loose rock, so footing is tentative on days like this.

 

 The "stream" was little wider this morning!

 

Enjoying the day and glad we got out for a while instead of holing up.  Plus we were able to get some nice pics in the snow and some fresh, crisp air in the lungs.  Happy Snowy Trails!

Sleigh Bells Ring, Are You Listening....?

Out early for seven miles before work - under Winter Storm Warning now.   Tomorrow - 28 degrees and 30 mph wind - Sweet... Life is good!