Star Mountain in all it's splendor

STAR MT! Thrilled beyond words to be here. All is as it should be plus amazingly high water, more snow on the peaks than usual after the wild winter, and extra lush green around here. Lots of deer but I have seen not one elk which is astonishing. The neighbors say they've been all over - shhh, I think they're probably having babies right now.in our woods. Bear sighting and moose sighting but sadly not by me. Eyes peeled at all times for those elusive creatures.

"Our mountain" Carbon Peak - that's our house in the right foreground 

morning coffee on the deck

On my morning walk, one grouse, a number of deer, and hundreds of birds singing all at once. Magic. That bird song starts at 5am which is daylight here, just a tad early but who's complaining...

How fun is this - Lisa and Charles have popped over from Santa Fe. It's a short visit but we always manage to have adventures and this has been no exception. First up, magic spring water! Some of the purest water around and runs 24/7 365 days a year.

I sight I've not seen driving up to Ohio pass - a sheepherder and his flock. Bleating, bleating, bleating. A different life for sure, a man, his horse, his trailer, his sheepdog, and his sheep.

Here was the big question: was Ohio Pass open or closed. You never know on any given year when it will be open. It's a high mountain pass so snow stays a lot longer than elsewhere and trees down, slides etc. can and do happen over the winter. Yippee, the gate was open and in we drove. Um, whoops, the Forest Service had just opened it up to trail blaze. They nicely said follow us and we watched them make quick work of the downed trees. Didn't make it over the pass though, snow stopped us all partway. Some more melting is going to  have to happen before it's passable. Fun experience to be one of the first even if we did have to turn around.

The Castles

Stopped at the usual place for a photo. And the waterfall (anyone who's been up here will know what waterfall I'm talking about) was unbelievable. Awe inspiring flow and so loud - even where we were standing.

Ah yes, Crested Butte. Lunch, Third Bowl ice cream, and a teeny bit of shopping. Still pretty quiet in town. The madness here has not begun yet.

For those who were wondering, yes I put up a hummingbird feeder within the hour of my arrival. Just one and within 5 minutes 2 hummingbirds came by. And it starts. It's always such a calm beginning but I'm not fooled. The hundreds will descend soon and sugar water madness will be upon me.