Valentine Blizzard

Today has been pretty exhilarating! We did lots of errands in Durango yesterday and left town at about 5pm. By the time we hit Purgatory Mountain, now called the Durango Mountain Resort, it was dark and the lots were empty. We plowed the voyager into a space against the piled up snow. The snow started before we went to bed. By 4am the snowplow drivers were hard at work and Michael moved us to avoid becoming part of spring thaw.
When we got up for good it was still snowing heavily but the powder maniacs had arrived and they materialized through the air like explorers. Once we’d had our pancakes con kiwi we started off so we wouldn’t get snowed back to Durango. It was slow going, blizzarding in places, a mystical journey through the 10,000 foot passes with shifting visibility and a barely imagined roadway in places.
When we got to Silverton, year round population about 300, the Visitor Center was closed and posted not to stay there due to avalanche danger. We ended up at the library, happy as clams, flanked by the little houses and historic buildings of this sweet little community. (They even have community radio!)

After I post this we’ll go ski and explore the fluffy streets of the town. We won’t be able to go on until the roads are cleared since the passes between here and Ouray are more treacherous. We are looking forward to seeing where we are once the vista is clear but are also loving this first snow of our winter. Happy Valentines!