When it was clear

16 03 2026

Going back a couple of days, to the time before the wind when the mountains were still clear on the northwestern horizon.

I read an article recently about how lack of dust on the snow of the mountains is a good thing. … And it is (dust causes the snow to melt more rapidly). … But I imagine that those same researchers will find a pretty “good” layer of dust after this weekend, and that just joins the bad news of “skimpy snow” (according to the article) to begin with.

Still, we have to admire the positive, and that’s Flash and all our other wild ones in that magnificent landscape. … And pray for a wet(ter???) spring.


Comments : 3 Comments »

Categories : Colorado, Disappointment Valley, La Sal Mountains, Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs, Spring Creek canyon, Utah

Dust returns to our light

15 03 2026

It’s always a good day when I can spend a little time with beautiful Cassidy Rain and her band. She actually posed right there for a couple of minutes. (Thank you, lady!)

The subtle light on that beloved background was sublime; it doesn’t actually translate very well in the pic. But some of the softness of that light is because it’s diffused by blowing dust. Though it’s hard to tell by Cassidy Rain’s relatively “tame” mane and tail, it was still *windy*, even very close to sunset.

Apparently, weather across the country is supposed to get crazy. … Err, MORE crazy. It was 72F here yesterday (that ain’t good). But the craziest we’re supposed to get is that today’s high will be “only” in the 50s! Wherever you are, readers, stay safe out there!


Comments : 8 Comments »

Categories : McKenna Peak, Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs, Temple Butte

Off he goes

14 03 2026

Corazon’s band was in the same area that evening, and even though you can’t see his face and eyes, I liked this pic as he led his band away toward water.


Comments : 7 Comments »

Categories : Colorado, Disappointment Valley, La Sal Mountains, Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs, Utah

All in one

13 03 2026

Gaia leads Juniper and Mysterium up a trail.

It looks pretty parched out there, but signs of spring are *everywhere*.


Comments : 7 Comments »

Categories : Colorado, Disappointment Valley, La Sal Mountains, Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs, Spring Creek canyon, Utah

Nobody races pronghorns

12 03 2026

Winona declines to race the pronghorns. 🙂

Wise choice, lady, because you are low-energy, and they are faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaast!


Comments : 8 Comments »

Categories : Pronghorn, Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs

Grey beauties

11 03 2026

Grey girls Piedra and Maia are still shaggy at the end of what passed for “winter” this year.

The spring winds are blowing, and the ponies are starting to shed under sunny skies and 70-degree days. (Argh.)


Comments : 7 Comments »

Categories : Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs

Bearded lady

10 03 2026

Sweet Mysterium rocks her winter beard. 🙂

The temp hit 71F yesterday. March 9. In Colorado.

“Winter” this year was just a word. The ponies are shedding.


Comments : 6 Comments »

Categories : Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs

Glow

9 03 2026

Rowan wasn’t super happy about Aiyanna jumping her place in line and trotting past leader-Ro, but they sure were pretty in that scrumptious light!

(The snow, of course, is melted. Grateful for the moisture … looking forward to anything to come with hopeful anticipation!)


Comments : 8 Comments »

Categories : Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs

Snow elk

8 03 2026

These elk greeted me on the way out of Spring Creek Basin. If they look “hazy” or dim, that’s because of the blowing snow.

Mostly cows and last year’s calves, but one young bull was with them.

Mama and youngster check in with each other before they follow the group over the hill.

Here, I think they were watching some mustangs I couldn’t see because of a hill to my right.

Note that this was a snow wave after the earlier/overnight big snow (the 2 inches or so) had already mostly melted. What you see is starting to semi-stick again.

That wave didn’t last long … and neither did the semi-stuck snow. 🙂


Comments : 9 Comments »

Categories : Colorado, Disappointment Valley, Elk, Snow

Bull’s eye

7 03 2026

It wasn’t until I got out there with Sancho and the bands that I realized how LUCKY Spring Creek Basin got with the snow. Lower Disappointment Valley (especially center and right background, which is sort of westish) either didn’t get snow or didn’t get snow that stuck … or maybe it was rain? (Spring Creek Basin is within Disappointment Valley.)

The sunshine came out while I was with the mustangs, but …

… in that far distance (western/southwestern Disappointment Valley, and the Dolores River canyon(s) is out there), another wave of snow was drifting across the landscape.

By the time I got back to my buggy after a two-mile round-trip hike, the eastern part of the basin was under beautiful sunshine, but the sky to the north/northwest/west/southwest was DARK. I didn’t go far heading out before I was back into the wind-driven snowstorm.

It was WET snow, and it was melting fast. By the end of the day (before then for a lot of areas), most of that snow had soaked right into the very desperate soil, which is a huge relief and blessing.

YaYaYaYaYAYAYAYAY! 🙂


Comments : 13 Comments »

Categories : Colorado, Disappointment Valley, Snow, Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs

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