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.

June wanderings

June started with a day trip to Georgetown Lake. Sitting against nature erases the presence of passing traffic with running water and mountains all around.

The mountains behind the lake to the south are a collage of purples. An occasional boat floats past; otherwise the only people seen are the silent fishermen dotting the shore. The city stocks the lake regularly with trout so there will always be someone fishing. Not to mention the town is very small and there really is much to do.

In winter the east end of the frozen lake is roped off and bright orange clones lay out paths for car to race along. Grownups turn into kids as the race with Mother Nature on studded tires.

Across the highway big horn sheep graze on a rocky mountainside. They are hard to see climbing the mountain and blending in with the rocks without binoculars. Park and Recreation has built fort structures to climb, read about the animals and use telescopes for a close look.

West of the lake is the actual town. Victorian design is sprinkled through the city with other plainer brightly painted wooden houses. There are restaurants, ski rental shops, minimarts; everything for the tourist heading to the ski resort that forgot something or just want a snack.

The train at Georgetown is a big attraction advertised in flyers in hotels. The steam engine pulls out from a full size depot and heads past old closed silver and gold mines in the Clear Creek canyon.

After a day of discovering the area we take a country road that runs parallel to the highway to see the houses. They remind me of a crazy quilt with their variety, being built over many years and out of different financial situations.