This was before the big snow, but the light was so gorgeous, and I managed to not take many pix of the snow while it was snowing (very low/short distance visibility), so visualize that ALL covered in snow (to the tune of 4-plus inches, give or take), and that’s what it looked like (minus the clouds socking in the valley). 🙂
The above pic is from Disappointment Road looking eastish; readers will recognize the Temple Butte promontory and the snow-covered pyramid that is McKenna Peak. The rain-dark mid-ground is Spring Creek Basin.
From much farther up-valley, looking slightly eastish of northish (!), from left to right: Brumley Point, McKenna Peak and Temple Butte across the very southern part of Spring Creek Basin.
And a closer view of Temple Butte and the buttes beyond/eastish of it (those farther promontories aren’t visible from Spring Creek Basin proper, though the near foreground is part of Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area).
It’s hard to believe because our snow usually melts by at least midday, if not mid-morning, but there’s still snow on the ground today, two days after the snowfall. And of course, muddy, muddy goodness underneath. That mud does make it hard to get around (and all the hunter traffic – already – depresses and demotivates me; third rifle season (aka crazy-town season) starts Saturday), but hopefully I’ll get out and about and get some new pony pix soon. If not with snow, I’ll still have plenty to share from pre-snow days (and will make that clear in the text of each post).
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 
Is hunting allowed in the horse’s HMA?
THIRD rifle season?
Yes, hunting is allowed on BLM land – public land. In addition to archery and muzzleloader seasons for deer and elk (and bears and moose?) in September, there are four rifle seasons for deer and elk. (I don’t pay close attention to the specifics of animals other than deer/elk, but I think they overlap with bears and moose, too?) First is in October. Second starts in late October and ends in early November. Third starts Saturday (tomorrow) and ends Friday, Nov. 15. Fourth is before Thanksgiving this year. All info is on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website (search for Colorado big-game hunting seasons). And that’s not necessarily the end. Third is the worst here. 😫
I think ours starts closer to Thanksgiving – hope you and yours all are safe.
Land around me (and mine) is posted so hopefully no wild shots!
Good luck
Private land is posted here, too, though it’s not required and hunters MUST know where they are. They all seem to have that OnX app now, but it’s not always super accurate (?). A bad map is zero legal excuse, according to CPW. Stay safe.
Stay safe TJ!! Wear ORANGE.
Depending on what I’m doing, I do wear orange. Thanks. 😊
Gorgeous photos, TJ! And 4 inches?! Wow, that’s more than we had. We’ve been getting a series of morning skiffs…but we’ll take it! Hopefully the mud will deter some of the hunter traffic in the Basin, TJ; we can hope.
We got more snow yesterday morning and again this morning! Where’d that come from?! 😄 Already melting, but still a startling amount of snow on the ground! And I DID get out with Kestrel’s big group yesterday. Couldn’t believe how much snow still in the basin. The snake weed is only barely poking out through the snow! Ponies all in great shape.
I love th