Temple Butte | Spring Creek Basin Mustangs

Mules helping mustangs

13 03 2017

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Spring Creek Basin herd manager Mike Jensen leads Katy Bartzokis (BLM) and Glenn Ryan (Forest Service) and their mules to a drop site with fence materials for some upcoming projects – including alternative spring break!

We are so stoked to work with the Rocky Mountain Regional Specialty Packstring to get these supplies hauled into the basin by mule power!

This project is completely possible because of some big “horse” power, so BIG thanks to awesome mules Joey, Karla, Lena, Roz and Skid, and saddle horses Karmel and Sly. 🙂

And extended thanks to San Juan Mountains Association’s volunteer coordinator Kathe Hayes, who heads alternative spring break each year; Justin Hunt, BLM range tech; and tireless advocate Kat Wilder.

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Comments : 9 Comments »

Categories : Advocacy, alternative spring break, Disappointment Valley, Education, Fence work, McKenna Peak, McKenna Peak Wilderness Study Area, Partnership, San Juan Mountains Association, Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Temple Butte, Work projects

Rivals

10 03 2017

Hollywood and Tenaz, McKenna Peak and Temple Butte

But it wasn’t always that way.

Hollywood is Tenaz’s daddy. One wonders what bit of fatherly advice he might be giving his son. 🙂

Comments : 3 Comments »

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

A little (lotta) magic

25 02 2017

Rainbow over Temple Butte

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.

Comments : 4 Comments »

Categories : Brumley Point, Disappointment Valley, McKenna Peak, McKenna Peak Wilderness Study Area, Temple Butte

Reflections

6 02 2017

Mariah, Temple Butte, part of McKenna Peak

What’s not to love about a gorgeous mustang who reflects her stunning home range … right down to the bits of mud that are reminiscent of the bits of snow still clinging to the edges of erosion-rilled flanks of Temple Butte and McKenna Peak?

Fortunately for us, there’s absolutely everything to love about all of it. 🙂

Comments : 6 Comments »

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

Atmospheric

28 01 2017

Temple Butte in lifting snow-mist.

I couldn’t choose. 🙂

There’s magic in them thar hills.

Temple Butte itself isn’t in Spring Creek Basin; it’s just outside our southeastern boundary. The foreground in these photos IS Spring Creek Basin. The southeastern and eastern parts of Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area also are part of McKenna Peak Wilderness Study Area – which also extends to the east beyond Spring Creek Basin. (Note: McKenna Peak also is just outside the basin, and it’s visible from this vantage, to the left. With my long lens, I couldn’t fit them both in the confines of one photo – and it was more wreathed in snow-mist. :))

Comments : 6 Comments »

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

Another long view

10 01 2017

Two in a big land

Another visual puzzle for ya’ll. 🙂 Do you see the two wildlings?

Psst … lower right.

It’s a big, beautiful land, and the moisture is seeping in.

Comments : 2 Comments »

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

‘Every shift of light’

4 01 2017

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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.

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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

Comments : 3 Comments »

Categories : Brumley Point, McKenna Peak Wilderness Study Area, Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Temple Butte

The light that shines

3 01 2017

Chipeta at the end of a day of "trying to snow" in Spring Creek Basin.

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.

Comments : 2 Comments »

Categories : Brumley Point, McKenna Peak Wilderness Study Area, Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area, Spring Creek Basin mustangs, Temple Butte