Snow in June

Midway through June we're enjoying the snow falling in Breckenridge. Peak 7 and 8 are between 13,000 and 14,000 feet. The tops are still white and with a light snowfall covering the ground the illusion of winter continues until the sun comes out.

On our third day the sun fully replaces the snow and sleet. A bright blue sky with few clouds frame the peaks. We hike Peaks trail through the woods. There aren't many flowers yet, but lots of green. The mosses are electric green, full of water and soft to the touch.

The city has helped nature by building bridges over streams, adding drainage pipes to keep trails dry, and mounding dirt for speed bumps so mountain bikers won't go too fast downhill and spin out.

We see a young squirrel with lots of gray and black fur. Only a few birds are visible, but we can hear some in the tops of the pines.

We tour a closed mine and get the feel for how horrible working all day underground would be. Donkeys were taken down to pull the loads and never saw the light of day again. Kids work full shifts right along with the men. And the men used sledge hammers to tunnel through the rock either individually or in pairs. The life expectancy of miners was short and the fate of the women that waited up top was to find another miner to marry.

Leaving nature we travel into Breckenridge. The stores fill every possible inch of real estate. Shops sell t-shirts, souvenirs, food, and real estate. Buildings are painted brightly and give the impression of Victorian architecture. I find a wonderful bead shop that I will visit again next time. And we close our last day with homemade chocolate candy.