Snowmobiling to Big Blue

 The neighbors decided to get together and ride snowmobiles over the mesa and on to the Big Blue Wilderness. It was 6 degrees when we left and warmed to 26 degrees as the day went on. 

We all wear helmets and extra warm gear

There is a trail where most of the snowmobile traffic goes. Off to the side the snow is not compacted and the snow is powder and easy to sink in.

This has not been a high snow fall year so far. In past years the snow was as deep as the roof of the toilet building and you had to walk down to get to the entrance.

This overlook to the mountains is one of my favorite views.

This is the trail on the way to the Big Blue Wilderness area

We travel together and stop periodically to keep the group together

This is the view of the Big Blue Wilderness after a 25 mile ride to get there

This is a wonderful wilderness area with great trout fishing in the summer

It is fun to get off the trail and play in the powder. The right snowmobile can dance thru the snow - the risk is burying the machine when you zig instead of zag.

This is when it is nice to have lots of folks to help get the machine out

There are some great views along the way.

We made it home before mid afternoon and had a great ride

A Winter Day on the Mountain

Spending the winter at 9500 feet altitude makes for interesting days. 

A typical day up here starts off with temps in the single digits but sun and a nice view of the Elk Mountains in the distance.

 

The birds wait for me to put out food for them first thing in the morning. The Ravens seem to prefer sweet grain goat chow over typical bird seed so they get a few scoops of it.

The songbirds and Steller's Jays like the bird seed and spend a lot of time at the feeder.

Then it is time to get a bucket of wood to fill the firewood rack next to the woodstove in the house

New Years day saw the burning of the neighborhood slash pile to celebrate the start of 2021.

That fire can really put out the heat.

It was a nice day to be out

That bonfire burns all through the night and into the next day

We live in bear country so all trash has to be kept in a bear proof enclosure. Ours holds three plastic dumpster style cans.

The lid raises for access to place bags of trash and the door on the front opens to allow trash can removal. So far no bear problems.

When time and snow conditions allow it is time to uncover the snowmobile and take it for a ride

It is fun to take the snowmobile out for a ride to check out the roads and trails in and around the neighborhood.

There is an area in the back country where you think you are in Kansas seeing windmills

I sleep well after a typical day here...