Now this was a hike that led me to these beauties. Almost circular if you note that fact that we started and ended in almost the same place on semi-similar trails – some sections VERY muddy still with melting snow in the shade of pinon and juniper trees. My boots were unhappier with the journey (uppers may or may not be coming apart from lowers), but my heart and my brain were delighted at the lingering moisture … not to mention the aforementioned and abovepictured beauties. 🙂
Long before I knew what had caught their attention, Storm’s band was fully alert to something moving across their landscape. By the time the deer came into my human-aware vision, the horses had nearly relaxed again.
The mule deer have been more visible than the elk (at least for me) throughout the winter, but it’s still good to see them. And it’s fascinating to watch the wild horses watching their wild cousins.
When Seneca paused in her grazing to look across a little arroyo at another band that was grazing the other side, I was ready on the shutter button. On the north-facing sides of the meandering little drainage, patches of wet, wet snow were still to be found. The horses were making use of the lingering snow – as kids welcome the neighborhood ice cream truck – though they did later wander up and over to the local watering hole (known as a pond in our neighborhood ;)).
For whatever reason, this (paraphrased) song comes into my head every time I’m out with – usually! – staid, laidback, solid, never-gets-in-a-rush-to-go-anywhere Skywalker. 🙂 (Sorry about the earwig if you know what I’m talking about!)
Sometimes, when you’re feeling good and the weather is the right mix of a bit nippy and not yet too hot for such shenanigans (and when your bands also are feeling frisky on the way to the water hole!), it feels good to gallop across the range (and, of course, you don’t want to be left behind!)!
‘Tis the season! No, not mud season (well, OK, it kinda is that, too … if we had enough snow to make (more) mud), ELK season!
More elk are visible because they’re moving around as the high country opens again (another reference to our lack of snow, if you can stand it). Soon, this dry low country will be too low and too dry, and these lovelies will melt away again into the shadows of the forested country. Hopefully it will retain some moisture longer than our desert country.
It IS nice to see those La Sals with fresh(er) snow. They were starting to look a little ragged.
These were two different groups of mostly elk cows and calves (last year’s) with a few scraggly youngster bulls still following their mamas and aunties.
This perspective of McKenna Peak (right) and Temple Butte is from quite a bit closer than yesterday’s post of Raven. The ground also was quite a bit muddier – because it’s higher in elevation and closer to the roll of the snow-bringing clouds when we get snow – back in this far eastern region of Spring Creek Basin than even the northernish area shown in yesterday’s post.
It was a pleasant surprise to see the heads of Sundance’s mares, then the big guy himself, pop up over a small ridge. It was a bit of a slog to get to them, but I’m grateful for the moisture of that muddy ground!
Ravens – the winged kind – are wheeling and soaring and diving, ready for spring.
Raven – our grounded girl – is soaking up sweet sunshine in a land of quickly melting snow.
There’s something so peaceful about rim-lit horses grazing their way through an evening. The sun sinks ever lower (did you remember the time change?), and the only tension is the need to get back to a road and head out as the sun bids farewell to another day and the temperature drops again.
Big, handsome Storm, caught in the late light that makes everything glow, keeps an eye on me and an ear on his grazing mares. Because he’s never not alert, even though he’s a pretty chill wild guy. 🙂
Sweet, peaceful Madison gives me the look of curiosity while Temple moseys by in her grazing.
I love those flared nostrils, trying to get a whiff of the human, on the edges of the soft black muzzle. 🙂 So beautiful!
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 