Wyoming Breezes

Cinde P. plans a Fiber Retreat at Togwotee Lodge twice a year when the Lodge is officially closed (between seasons) in November and April. This year's November retreat was Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I considered going to the retreat in the past, but life always seemed to get in the way. Sue asked me a couple of weeks ago if I wanted to go with her for just the day - Saturday. I agreed. WYDOT webcam of Togwotee Pass Friday, November 4, 2017 Then Thursday it began to snow in the mountains, it continued to snow on Friday, and on Saturday, the snow was still falling.  The roads looked pretty dicey on the WYDOT webcams and. . . Togwotee Mountain Lodge webcam Thursday, November 3, 2017 the webcam at the Lodge didn't look any better.  I've lived in Wyoming nearly all my life and have driven in some nasty conditions during the winter, so I tend to avoid being out on the roads when they look like this. The weather report for Saturday predicted even more snow on th...

Jackknifed semi Togwotee Pass May 1979 A jackknifed semi can bring traffic to a halt, especially on a slick mountain pass. I remember being glad the cattle hauler was empty because if it had been loaded, the process to clear the road would have been more involved and the delay much longer. Unexpected incidents like this are good reasons to always have a tank full of gas when driving in cold weather. May 1979, I was traveling with a group from Wheatland, WY to a conference in Jackson, WY. That morning we left Wheatland's sunny skies and temperatures in the 60s and encountered snow and slick roads on Togwotee Pass. Wyoming's weather is notoriously unpredictable and can change quickly even in the summer.  The road over Togwotee Pass was recently improved (widened, realigned, and resurfaced), but even with the improvements, a jackknifed truck would still bring traffic to a halt. Previous posts of Togwotee Pass can be found here .

Togwotee Pass Continental Divide May 1979  Even though these photos are old, they capture a typical spring day in Wyoming. The weather can range from snow flurries placing a new blanket over the terrain to delicate new leaves unfurling on the aspen trees. These photos in this post were taken on the same day - one on the pass and one in the valley. Photos of Togwotee Pass in 2011 can be seen here  and here . Old cabin near Jackson, WY May 1979 Here's the weather report this morning: source I hope the "moderate snow" stays in the mountains, and that the valley will receive a more liquid form of moisture. Welcome to Springtime in the Rockies! If you would like to hear the Sons of the Pioneers (anyone remember them?) sing the ballad When It's Springtime in the Rockies , click here .

Nancy, Bev, Brian Jackson, WY September 2013 Bev ( This and That ) and I have been reading each other's blogs for a couple of years and have corresponded through email. Bev and her husband winter in Arizona, and last year we threw around the idea of meeting somewhere on one of their trips. The stars aligned this year on their family outing to Yellowstone National Park. Sue, Bev, Brian Jackson, WY September 2013 Emails flew back and forth with details, and we decided to meet in Jackson, WY for lunch. So last Tuesday, my friend Sue and I took a road trip to soak up the lovely scenery and to meet Bev and her husband at Bubba's Roadhouse. Grand Tetons Jackson, WY September 2013 The drive over Togwotee Pass was beautiful in the morning, and we stopped at one of the scenic pull-outs to photograph the Tetons. The aspen in the area were just starting to turn yellow, and this week they should be a gorgeous gold. Over lunch the conversation flowed smoothly, and we...

Togwotee Pass elevation 9,658 feet April 6, 2011 My friend, Sheila (no blog) and her husband, Doug travelled to the High Country on Wednesday. With Sheila's permission, I am sharing some of their photos. It will be awhile before all of this snow melts. The orange stick is an extension on the delineator post on the side of the road to aide motorists and snowplow operators.   Highway Department snowplows  clearing the roadway. Thursday night, the weatherman predicted a storm that could potentially drop another 25 to 35 inches in this area. Welcome to Springtime in Wyoming.

Continental Divide Togwotee Pass May 5, 2011 Remember this post ? Well, one month later, the snow pack is still impressive. In many places, the snow towered over the road and nearly formed a tunnel. My neighbor is about 5' 6" and the snowbank along the road clearly is nearly twice as tall. Note that she is not standing at ground level but about a foot higher. It's obvious the snow hasn't melted much in a month, and some of it will undoubtedly still be on the ground well into June. Since most of the snow was on the eastern side of the Continental Divide , the farmers in my area will not have to worry about sufficient water for their crops this year. On the news last night, the weather man predicted an overnight storm would drop an additional 6 - 12 inches of snow in this area. The snowplow drivers are definitely earning their wages this year.

Before February 22, 2017 finally down to "practically" bare pavement On Wednesday, February 22 I was thrilled that nearly all the ice and snow had melted on my street and from the parking lots around town: I was clearly getting a case of Spring Fever. As this  earlier post illustrates, my street was covered with a thick sheet of packed snow and ice since the Christmas Day and two successive January Storms. The warmer temperatures in mid-February prompted melting snow and premature flooding through the valley along the Wind River . . . locally, the small town of Hudson took the brunt of the melting snowpack from the sustained chinook winds in the Sinks Canyon area - February 2017 and eventually on the Big Horn river further north. massive ice jam on the Big Horn River Worland, WY February 11, 2017 No one expected flooding in February! The premature thaw was brought under control by Mother Nature when the temperature dropped below freezing at night....