After crossing Togwotee Pass, the first glimpse of the Teton Range is full of impact. The view of these ‘young’ mountains then goes out of site, only to hit you at closer range. The Tetons are massive, and their size is emphasized by their abrupt rise from the plains containing the sinuous, meandering Snake River. The…
Tag: winter
Finally, a Little Snow
Finally, a little more snow in central Wyoming today. We’ve only had one other snow event giving a paltry few inches. We were up on Casper Mountain Saturday and I commented that it looked like the average October dusting, not what we hope to see at the end of January. Powder Pass in the southern…
Warning Snow
As long as I can remember we’ve had an October snow. The DH and I call it the warning snow. It snows enough to remind us to get the firewood cut and stacked; winterize certain outdoor water faucets; finish up any yard chores; get the horse hay into the barn; and put the winter…
April Showers in Wyoming
At 5000 plus feet, April showers often come in heavy white crystalline form. This may be our last snow of the season, so I took a quick dash out to get a shot of the mountain as the clouds were lifting. Spring snows are very important to the ecology of Wyoming. The snows of Feb-April…
National Elk Refuge in Jackson, Wyoming
Although I’ve been through Jackson Hole multiple times, I’ve never visited the National Elk Refuge just north of town. The National Elk Refuge is one of 553 refuges managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. There is good evidence that elk once ranged all across North America, inhabiting forests, river valleys, the prairies and…
Addicted to the Glide
If you want to get addicted to cross country skiing, go out early in the morning, after a fresh snowfall, before anyone else is on the trails.
A Milder Wyoming Winter?
Perspective is an interesting thing. If you talk to almost anyone around Casper, the general perspective is that we are having a very mild winter. I spoke with a man in his 60’s who has lived here all his life and he was commenting on how warm this winter has been. Ditto with a man…
Cross Country Skiing on Casper Mountain
Sometimes the best activities are in our own backyards, or close anyway. At a friend’s encouragement our whole family rented skis and took a short drive up Casper Mountain to the Nordic Ski Center. The lodge itself manages to capture the classic mountain ski lodge look and feel without being pretentious, but the real draw…
Winter Watering in Wyoming and the High Plains
Last week we had three days in a row above 40 degrees F. With no snow cover, this was a perfect time to water shrubs, trees and perennials in the yard. The forecast for Central Wyoming for the first week of 2012 looks good for another opportunity for winter watering. In the high plains, winter…
We’ve Cheated Old Man Winter
Well, that’s the way I feel when I am walking on November 28th and there are bugs flying in the air around me and the native plants in my garden have turned green and resprouted. What a great feeling to have a day in the mid 50’s and no wind. It really is the best…
First Snow
Yesterday we awoke to the first dusting of snow on Casper Mountain. It’s right on time. We usually see our first higher elevation snow by October 15. It heralds the coming of winter, but it won’t be a slow, steady, predictable arrival. In Wyoming the changing of seasons usually happens in fits and starts. I…
Wyoming Life 