Showing posts with label Saturday Critters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Saturday Critters. Show all posts

Sunday, October 25, 2026

Snow Mountain Ranch Part 3




If you read my first post--click here--about our drive to the YMCA of the Rockies Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, Colorado, you would know we took a trip up into the Rocky Mountains at the end of September to enjoy the beautiful fall color that begins early in that part of Colorado at high elevation. We stayed in a comfortable private room in the Indian Peaks Lodge at the ranch.

My Part Two post about the ranch--click here--was about our drive that day through the western entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park, a half-hour drive from our lodge.

Today, I'd like to show you what we did on our first full day at Snow Mountain Ranch.



 We woke up to a beautiful alpenglow on the distant Rocky Mountains.  There are many activities available at the ranch, but since this was our first visit to Snow Mountain Ranch, we were most interested in exploring the area to see the local scenery.


We drove past the ranch's horse stable, where one could pay to book a guided horseback ride.
.
We drove along a dirt road to admire the beautiful aspen trees changing color from green to shades of gold.

 As we drove along, we saw signs cautioning that horseback riders might be on the road... 


... and soon my husband said, "I see a man riding a horse ahead."


Only it wasn't a man; it was a female moose!


She looked as surprised to see us as we were to see her!


As the moose came closer, my husband began to reverse our car, but, happily, she soon ran into the roadside willows and disappeared.


As we drove on, we could see mountains in the distance.


We came across this old gold mine excavation along the road. The placard says that the mine was dug by a man named Charlie Greitzler, who once lived nearby and who had a vision that gold would be found there.  Sadly, I don't think he was successful.


Soon, we approached the Gaylord Reservoir.

 Sadly, after a long year's drought, the water level was low. 

Snow Mountain Ranch offers catch-and-release trout fishing at Gaylord Reservoir - no license required.

The reservoir area was very scenic...


...I loved the rugged mountain views in the distance!



We then came upon this interesting Gisela Velarde Ley Chapel at Columbine Point. According to the YMCA Snow Mountain website, the chapel has long served as a gathering place for worship, reflection, and connection with nature. Thanks to donor support through the Climbing Higher Campaign, the newly dedicated and remodeled chapel is now a beautiful place for special ceremonies.


It truly was a beautiful outdoor memorial chapel to visit!


Sheep Mountain, better known now as Snow Mountain, in the distance.

Sheep Mountain, also known as Snow Mountain, is located in Grand County, Colorado. It is the highest point in the YMCA of the Rockies' Snow Mountain Ranch. Although USGS maps officially name it Sheep Mountain, it is informally referred to as Snow Mountain in honor of the ranch. Sheep Mountain is notable for its elevation and seasonal weather patterns. It stands at approximately 13,292 feet (4,051 meters)



As we drove back to our lodge at Snow Mountain Ranch, we enjoyed more mountain views, saw one of the Yurts for rent nestled in pine trees, and noted some dead-tree wildfire mitigation. 


We toured a few of Snow Mountain Ranch's recreation offerings to see the indoor heated pool, climbing wall, archery area, aerial challenge course, roller skating rink, and craft center. We ultimately decided to take it easy and play the 27-hole miniature golf course. 
This time, an iron statue of a bull moose watched over us!


After dinner in the ranch's cafeteria, we relaxed in our room's patio chairs, enjoying the evening's sunset glow on the hills, which lit up the distant golden aspen trees. 


It was such a wonderful day! 


I can also be found on




Posted by at 27 comments:
Labels: , , , , , ,

Sunday, August 30, 2026

It's Been a Bear Filled Summer!


 Colorado is home to black bears. Black bears are the largest carnivores in Colorado and sport a variety of coat colors; although they are called black bears, they can be honey-colored, blond, brown, cinnamon, or black.
Adult males weigh around 275 pounds. Females weigh about 175 pounds. Depending on the season, food supply, and gender, black bears may weigh anywhere from 100 to 450 pounds. Black bears measure about 3 feet high when on all four feet. They can be 5 feet tall when standing on their back legs.
.
In late summer and fall, black bears enter hyperphagia, a natural phase when they can spend up to 20 hours a day searching for food as they build the fat reserves needed to survive the winter hibernation.

All the photos in the photo collage above are photos neighbors in my community have taken of bears in their yards this summer and shared on our community Facebook page!
 Sadly, because of the persistent drought and early spring bloom followed by a severe frost and multiple wildfires, much of the normal food--chokecherry and serviceberry berries, nuts, and insects--that the bears would normally find in the wild has been scarce this summer.


Part of our Colorado Front Range community development is nestled in a high-altitude valley (5,735 feet to 6,503 feet) abutting the foothills, where Colorado wildlife roams free. We are used to seeing many deer in our area and occasional mountain lions, raccoons, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, moose, and bears.


I lived most of my life in New York City; seeing so much wildlife has been both educational and exciting to me!
 I learned very early on, as you can read in this blog post, to look up into trees when on a hike, as often bears and mountain lions can be sitting in them!


Early this summer, a wildlife expert, Mark Surls, came to our community to do a talk about living close to wildlife, and offered information on how to safely coexist with them. 

We learned how not to have attractants around our home, no food or other odor attractants in our cars, and to always have our car doors locked and our garage doors closed. We were reminded not to have birdfeeders, pet food dishes, dirty barbecue grills, and accessible garbage cans.  We are instructed to keep our garbage cans in our garage and to take them out the morning of trash collection, especially when the bears are out of hibernation.  Most bears seen in residential areas near or within bear habitat do not cause any damage. If a bear doesn’t find abundant food, it will move on.


The bears definitely love a full garbage can,  and sadly there is a saying that "a fed bear is a dead bear." Our community has installed bear-proof garbage cans along our trails as a precaution.



Once a bear finds a food source, they will always return to it and become habituated to looking at humans as a food source.  Sadly, if this occurs, most of the time they have to be euthanized by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. This summer there were double the reports of bear activity, even in places like the city of Denver, which rarely sees bears!


We have not seen a bear in our yard this summer, but we know they have passed through, as we frequently find and have to clean up large piles of bear scat! I kept this photo small on purpose as it is definitely "ick"! If you want to see it larger, click on it.


Bears are not the only wildlife suffering from the unusual heat and drought. We have a bird bath in our front yard that we have had to refill many times a day. We have seen not only birds, but squirrels and deer drink from it, and I would not be surprised if an occasional bear also stopped by for a drink! 
The deer have eaten almost all our flowers and greenery this summer, even things that they have never eaten before, and it may be they are trying to get moisture or are also not finding their normal wild foods in the hills.


Another animal that has suffered from the drought in Colorado is the marmot.

A marmot is a cat-sized, furry ground squirrel that lives in burrows in North America, Europe, and Asia. The 15 or so species worldwide include groundhogs. In the Rocky Mountains, yellow-bellied marmots are plentiful. Hikers often spot these charismatic creatures perched on boulders.

Last winter, scant snowfall and warm temperatures deprived many Colorado marmots of an insulating blanket of snow over their burrows. Researchers believe their hibernation quarters got too chilly, causing many to sadly die of the cold.

Summer flowers at our Community Center

September begins in a few days, which means autumn-like weather should be occurring soon in Colorado, and the aspen trees will begin to change color. Fall is my favorite season, and after a very hot summer, I am looking forward to it! I'm hoping for a more normal winter with lots of snow too!

I can also be found on




Posted by at 36 comments:
Labels: , , , ,

Sunday, August 16, 2026

"Snow" in August!


This summer, actually this year in Colorado, has been an unusual one. In winter, spring, and most of this summer, we have been experiencing warmer-than-usual temperatures and extreme drought and wildfires, many caused by dry lightning. Normal snowpack in the mountains was subpar, and rainfall was low to nil. 

Weather-wise, the West was in a "La Niña" weather system, and now we are told by meteorologists that we are headed into an "El Niño" weather system. These systems both have to do with the effects of Trade Winds and Pacific Ocean temperatures--you can read more about this weather phenomenon and how it affects different parts of the world at this link.



 Now, we have finally entered the monsoon season in Colorado.

The North American Monsoon season usually starts June 15 and runs through September each year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This year, as weather patterns change, it has come later, and we are beginning to see heavy cloud formations every afternoon, bringing thunderstorms and rain to many areas.


Yesterday, the monsoon brought a powerful hailstorm to our area! 

View the short video above.

One of our neighbors was hosting a baby shower at her home, so many of her guests' cars parked on our cul-de-sac. Happily, the hailstorm brought high winds, thunder and lightning, but the hailstones were not giant-sized, so they did not do as much damage as they could have. If you read a past post I wrote about weather in Colorado--this link--you can see photos of how large hailstones can become!


It looked like snow in August! I asked my husband to please push my pot of basil under our outdoor table to save it from losing its leaves. I have harvested the basil plants once to freeze for the winter, and this was my second growth. Fortunately, it survived!


The neighborhood deer enjoyed eating the bounty of leaves that fell on the ground from the hail, so they were happy!


Did I lose flowers from the hailstorm? 
Not really, as you can see that 
trying to grow much of anything here when deer frequently roam through our yards is a losing cause. 
They seem to think anything growing is good to eat.


But how could I be mad at these adorable faces?

The twin fawns born in my backyard in June are growing up fast, and they will soon lose their spots when they grow their winter coats.

Will winter bring us a lot of actual snow this year with El Niño weather? 

Time will tell!

I can also be found on






Posted by at 33 comments:
Labels: , , , , ,

Monday, August 3, 2026

Happy 150th Birthday to Colorado!


Happy month of August to all!

August first was the sesquicentennial- 150th- anniversary of Colorado's statehood, and many Colorado Day celebrations were held throughout the state.
My husband and I decided to celebrate by taking a drive to nearby areas where we enjoy the scenery.
Our first stop was Golden Gate Canyon State Park, one of the 42 Colorado State Parks. Admission was free for all Colorado state parks for Colorado Day. 
 The park is located in Gilpin and Jefferson counties, around 30 miles west of Denver.  This 11,998-acre Front Range Park has 35 miles of hiking trails. It includes facilities such as a visitor center, 156 campsites, stocked fishing ponds, and over 125 picnic sites.

 (All photos and photo collages in this post will enlarge for easier viewing if clicked on)



Panorama Point Scenic Overlook in Golden Gate Canyon State Park offers spectacular views of more than 100 miles of Colorado’s Continental Divide year-round.


We enjoyed the views, the cooler temperatures at a higher elevation, and a walk along a trail. 


I was pleased to see some wildflowers along the trail despite Colorado's long drought.


Next, we drove on the Peak to Peak Scenic Highway towards Estes Park.

I blogged about this very scenic drive in this post when there was snow on the Rocky Mountains--quite a different view!


We entered Estes Park — a beautiful town just outside the eastern entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park.

I've blogged about both locations many times, as you can see from labels on my blog sidebar, as we have had many wonderful times in both locations in the thirteen years that we've lived in Colorado.



On this occasion, we went to one of our favorite places to dine in Estes Park--Smokin Dave's Barbecue! My husband and I ordered a double platter meal that comes with two sides and a corn muffin. Needless to say, there was so much delicious food that we both had leftovers to take home <smile>

From Estes Park, we drove a portion of US Route 36 toward our home. It travels through a beautiful portion of St. Vrain Canyon, alongside St Vrain Creek.

It was a wonderful day out and a fun way to celebrate Colorado turning 150 years old as the 38th state of the United States!

I can also be found on






Posted by at 36 comments:
Labels: , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)