Prairie Mountain February 25, 2018

I love blue in the sky with a blanket of white!  I knew I could have that this afternoon up on Prairie Mountain with light wind added to the mix but I wasn't waiting!  I was raring to huff & puff so got out the door, dark and early, feeling game to deal with whatever was tossed at me.  The wind was wild and the sky looked dull for the drive out.    But, this is what was tossed at me!

I was third in line at parking.  I got decked out inside the car where it was comfortably warm and calm.  I needed my spikes from the moment I set foot on the ground, plus warm layers, hat & mitts.  The huffing and puffing began within a few minutes as soon as I veered off the road onto the trail.  It wasn't long before I shed the heavies which I am always glad to do.  I was even more glad the sky was cheering up.  

The trail was packed snow the entire way but to the side were drifts, big drifts, big beautiful drifts.  Very early on I passed a couple and as I came out into the open a couple was already descending.  You know what that means!  I did the math!  I am going to outright 100% own the summit.

owning the summit 

As usual it was a tough chore to reach the top.  I began just before 8:00 and arrived to hold the flag a little after 9:00.  It was cold and windy up here but that happens more than not and I was prepared.  The blue was bright and the untouched snow even brighter.  It truly was a pretty morning up here.

I took my time in the open section on the way down to admire the snow sculptures.

Mother Nature works wonders!

It has been quite some time since I attacked Prairie Mountain.   There were some things that were new since my last visit.  In two places there are markers to mark the correct way.  I could see why they were put where they were put.  For those hiking here in the dark, they would guide you away from drop offs.

I did not notice this wildlife camera on the way up!  I only noticed it on my way down tucked in a somewhat secluded private spot. Oh! Oh!  I rattled my brain then checked for evidence did I have a private moment myself here?  Oh Oh!  Oh No!  Oh Well!  That's life!

With the Olympics over it's time to get on with my life.  I was missing my dates with the desert then the Olympics came along.  I am sure I will have Olympic withdrawals.  While these games were on I remembered back to the 1988 Calgary Olympics, I will think about and remember these 2018 games and I will now think about where I want to venture to next to make more fun memories.