Took Captain Jack out last night before bed, and it was a warm one. Checked the temp: 50s (F). Checked the morning forecast: snow—then rain.
When the flakes began to fall, we hurried up to the trailhead. (Wanted to beat the rain.) Nobody else up there, but the snow turned moderately heavy. A few inches piled quickly up. Wet snow. Had trouble keeping my camera dry—then lost my lens cloth. Weren’t many photo ops anyway. Still a fun hike, though.
However, on our return, I noticed I’d also lost my water flask. (Forgot to zip up my pouch after changing the GoPro battery.) By afternoon, the snow had stopped, and on a lark I decided we could stand another hike. Never did find the water bottle—but, bizarrely, I found my lens cloth in the snow.
On that quick second hike, a flicker posed for a photo.
Grandeur Peak Area List
Beginning at 9:12 a.m. (MST), I hiked several hundred feet up a mountain.
1. House Finch*
2. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
3. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
4. Spotted Towhee (v)
5. Pine Siskin (v)
6. Northern Flicker
7. Rock Pigeon
8. Dark-eyed Junco
9. Black-billed Magpie* (v)
Elsewhere
10. California Quail
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: black-billed magpie, black-capped chickadee, California quail, dark-eyed junco, house finch, northern flicker, pine siskin, rock pigeon, spotted towhee, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
