Not many words needed for these images, either. That’s a rainbow right over Temple Butte, guardian of Spring Creek Basin’s southeastern boundary … but as prominent as it is, ALL of Spring Creek Basin.
It has been four years (and a few weeks) since Pati Temple passed away. We miss her every day. And we feel her with us every single day.
Our famous Colorado sunshine has been a little lacking this winter, so we enjoy every bit of it (well, we do that anyway, but it seems particularly valuable this year). 🙂
Aren’t they handsome? That’s Brumley Point at back right.
Snowmelt from Lone Cone and its drainages provides the lion’s share of water that flows into Disappointment Creek (to the Dolores River to the Colorado). That water isn’t accessible to Spring Creek Basin’s mustangs, whose herd management area is fenced away from the creek (mostly on the other side of Disappointment Road). But it gives Disappointment Valley its name, and Spring Creek Basin occupies a small, beautiful part of Disappointment Valley.
Lone Cone isn’t visible from most of Spring Creek Basin, but you can see it here, buried in snow and showing a promising water run this year for Disappointment Creek, which benefits many other species of wildlife in the area.
Meanwhile, as our snow melts at these lower elevations, the basin’s arroyos are trickling with water for mustangs. … And some of that water will find its way to Disappointment Creek to continue the flow.
Wanna see Lone Cone a little closer?
Note: That’s not Temple Butte at right. 🙂 Temple Butte is out of the frame – and much closer – to the left. Visible at left is the southeastern flank of Brumley Point (shout out to Mary Ann and Dewayne F., who were in Disappointment Valley last weekend for a “therapy drive”! Brumley Point is named after Mary Ann’s family).
Fuzzy ol’ Ty helps show off that promontory in the background.
Temple Butte gleams golden in the last light of a “trying to snow” day while Brumley Peak has just a spot of light on its serrated flank.
Brumley Point is mostly within Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area. The southeastern boundary fence climbs a lower ridge to the first wall of rimrock. Temple Butte is outside Spring Creek Basin but visible from almost anywhere in the basin (and far beyond). They’re both within McKenna Peak Wilderness Study Area, which also covers a fair bit of the southern, southeastern and eastern parts of the basin.
The mustangs showed up just a bit after I took these photos from the road. … They weren’t quite as cooperative in the last light of day as the steadfast mesas and buttes. 🙂
And the trails I ride are new
Even though I’ve made the circle many times before
For they change with every season
And with every shift of light
From the summit where the clouds fall to the sweet, valley floor.
~ from “The Circle” by Dave Stamey
Grey and brown are our colors of late. We’ve been waiting for this big snowstorm that has been in the forecast for days, but it hasn’t hit us yet. Meanwhile, we have plenty of moisture (aka mud). 🙂
And every now and then, a ray of light.
From this vantage point on the “back side” of Filly Peak, you can see Temple Butte, Round Top, Flat Top and Brumley Point. There be mustangs among those weathered folds of hills and arroyos.
This was the brighter arch of a full double rainbow over Disappointment Valley. And this photo was taken from outside Spring Creek Basin looking in. Filly Peak is visible at far left (in shade), McKenna Peak and Temple Butte are visible to the right of center, and the rainbow is crowning Brumley Point.
Neither the widest-angle camera lens I own nor my cell phone could capture the full arch of the rainbow – let alone its double. Please believe me when I say (type) how stunningly, awesomely, amazingly, phenomenally, magnificently, marvelously SPECTACULAR it was!
This photo also clearly shows that there be magic in Disappointment Valley. 🙂
(The road into the basin was too wet to drive on – or so advocate Pat Amthor and I thought. The next day was the first day of third rifle season, and slippery mud does not overeager hunters deter – nor the fact that such driving will leave terrible ruts when the now-wet road dries. It’s orange country out here right now, and I ain’t referring to the Denver Broncos.)
Chrome walks past one of Spring Creek Basin’s prominent landmarks: Brumley Point. It looks a little bit different from most other vantage points, which is how it’s most often seen.
We did get some rain, and it’s looking lovely and green out there. 🙂
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 