Spring Creek Basin Mustangs

El Grumpo

25 07 2026

I say that with the utmost affection for the most loveable grump in Spring Creek Basin: Skywalker. 🙂

Comments : 3 Comments »

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

The Ferris Fire is mostly contained. 🙂 I have to think there’s been a huge sigh of relief for the rains, combined with the huge effort from more than 1,000 firefighters to set containment lines in those first few weeks when conditions were SO hot, dry and windy and it seemed like they/we couldn’t catch a break.

Comments : 6 Comments »

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

Variety is the spice of life

23 07 2026

I treat badgers like I treat rattlesnakes: carefully and with respect.

Pretty little ball of energy. Does anyone know what kind of hummingbird this is?

Rufous hummingbird? That orange! When it turned its (his?) head even slightly away, that glittering orange completely disappeared.

Did someone mention rattlesnakes? … Carefully … and with respect. 🙂

Not all from the same day or same areas of Disappointment Valley.

In big news: We’ve had rain! Finally, Mother Nature is shedding some tears of pity over us, and Tuesday night, there was (I think) pretty widespread rain over the valley. Because of intermittent rain throughout the day (!), I didn’t make it into Spring Creek Basin, but I look forward to soon documenting the run of water through Spring Creek. Hallelujah!

Comments : 8 Comments »

Categories : Badger, Colorado, Disappointment Valley, Wild birds, Wildlife

Lifeblood

22 07 2026

These pix are a poor representation of the ASTOUNDING sunset Monday as rain moved across Disappointment Valley’s western/northwestern horizon at sunset. It was one of the most amazing sunsets I think I’ve ever seen (and I’ve been blessed to see a lot of those).

Rain = literally, the lifeblood of the desert.

The cottonwoods in the near(ish) foreground line (dry) Disappointment Creek. This is looking northwestish toward neighbor Utah’s La Sal Mountains. You can just barely see one of the shoulders of one of the mountains through the rain. Actual sunset is at far left.

Amazing view a little closer/zoomed. I HOPE that rain was actually finding soil.

Backed out again, and you can see a bit more of the mountains through the curtain of rain.

The LIGHT!!! Kept getting getting better as the sun neared the horizon and even disappeared (from my perspective).

Sheer luck: That downpour is lit up by a lightning strike!

Tuesday afternoon and evening, Disappointment Valley is getting multiple little waves of rain. Super grateful.

There have been multiple road closures because of mudslides in the region (pretty much all of western Colorado). Be careful out there!

Comments : 6 Comments »

Categories : La Sal Mountains, Disappointment Valley, Rain, Utah, Colorado, Virga, Sunset

Hot blonde

21 07 2026

I hope that title won’t explode the Internet or get the blog censored. 🙂

Pretty Rowan in pretty light.

*****

The Ferris Fire stands at 64,881 acres and now is 91 percent contained (!). Big wow and gigantic thanks to the firefighters as they continue suppression efforts. From Watch Duty Regional Captain Adam Johnson: “Containment on the Ferris Fire continues to increase as firefighters make steady progress securing the fire’s perimeter. Recent rainfall and elevated relative humidity have significantly reduced fire activity, allowing crews to focus on locating remaining pockets of heat using infrared-equipped Unmanned Aircraft Systems (drones). Suppression repair efforts are underway to rehabilitate roads and other areas affected by wildfire operations. Crews are also preparing for post fire hazards, including an increased risk of flooding in recently burned areas. Heavy rainfall has already caused flooding in Bradfield Bridge Campground, and more is expected due to clogged and damaged culverts throughout the fire area.”

Note to locals: “Closures: The San Juan National Fores has a Fire Area Closure in place as does the Bureau of Land Management for Bradfield Bridge and Box Elder Recreation Area and multiple roads on the north end of the Ferris Fire.”

Comments : 6 Comments »

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

Lady Epona

20 07 2026

Temple looks like an otherworldly equine goddess (which, of course, she IS) in the glowy stormlight a few evenings ago. That one actually brought rain. … We’re waiting for more.

Comments : 7 Comments »

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

Power couple

19 07 2026

Buckeye and Aiyanna. 🙂

The Ferris Fire is holding steady at 64,881 acres, and it’s now an amazing 83 percent contained! Way to go, firefighters and Mother Nature! There have been more than 1,100 people assigned to this fire.

The Spring Creek Basin level of Disappointment Valley finally received the first/best rainfall Friday night. Up-valley neighbors report good rains, but at the lower end, it’s been more on the miss side of hit-or-miss. Hoping the future chances of rain really target the dry areas.

Comments : 13 Comments »

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

Smoke to storm

18 07 2026

We don’t do things by halves here in Colorado.

Smoke from wildfires? Unfortunately.

Spectacular sky from incoming storm days later? You betcha.

From Spring Creek Basin’s western rimrock boundary looking southeast at the very end of yesterday.

Looking east from the same place. The storm was to the north – our left as we’re looking out over the basin here.

One of the most spectacular jags of lightning I’ve ever seen lit up that northern sky (not close, not nearly far enough away), and I took that as my sign to hit the road, which was still a bit of a hike down to the right. As I headed down the hill, so did the ponies I’d been visiting with. No fools, they (or me!).

Comments : 6 Comments »

Categories : Disappointment Valley, Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Rain, McKenna Peak, Temple Butte, Colorado, Rainbow, Filly Peak

Exceptional gratitude

17 07 2026

As of Thursday afternoon, there are currently NO evacuations active for the 64,881-acre, 59-percent-contained Ferris Fire, though several areas – including in or near Disappointment Valley – are still at “ready” status (that means exactly what it sounds like: Be alert, prepared and ready to move should conditions call for it). Various BLM and U.S. Forest Service closures exist in the region. As far as I know, the middle section of Disappointment Road remains closed, though that could (likely will?) open soon.

Two words: FIREFIGHTERS and RAIN.

From Watch Duty: “Team 7 wishes to thank the communities around the Ferris Fire for their welcome and generosity.”

For the strength, endurance, skill and courage of the firefighters – on the ground, in the air, on the line, acting as support – I am sure the gratitude from our side is massive and total. I’ve done a lot of “thank you, thank you, thank you!” the last couple of weeks. And that includes BLM range guy Ryan Schroeder, San Miguel County Undersheriff Nick Xavier and all of his deputies, including Dolores County Deputy Branson Smith. We ARE community, and yours thanks you all.