From Snow Drifts to Hot Springs

Well, it’s been another amazing day starting with a harrowing experience getting the truck stuck in the snow, my brothers ingenuity an my ballsy driving finally got us out, then we found the Sharp-tailed Grouses on the lek as predicted and spent close to an hour watching them dance. Read all about it on my brothers blog.

After the grouse, we drove around for several hours looking unsuccessfully for new birds. We didn’t mind too much as our eyes were filled with lots of gorgeous snowy mountain vistas like this.

The historic hot springs in the town of Steamboat have unfortunately been turned into a bit of an amusement park complete with water slides which I couldn’t bear. So when I read about Strawberry Park Hot Springs I knew, being the natural waters aficionado that I am, that despite the tough time this morning on a snowy road, I had to see if I could make it up the back road to the springs.

Getting there was cake in comparison, just a dirt road, well packed, no snow, no mud, a bit steep and windy but the Tacoma powered me right up the mountain, through a fabulous stand of aspens, white bark gleaming in the sun. Once I arrived I was extremely taken by the “outhouse”, one of the most stylish bathrooms I think I’ve ever had the pleasure of using.

Inside was this giant agate wall that separated the men’s side from the women’s.

But the best was yet to come in the pools themselves. Two large pools that were 105 and 106 degrees respectively, with a chilly snowmelt river flowing past. There were two smaller tubs that were 102 and 103 but I spent all my time between the two hotter ones and took three bracing dips into the river as well. I finally tore myself away as the 5 AM start to the day and the rush of hot and cold was starting to make me a little weak in the knees and I still had to drive back down the mountain.

Here I am in all my bliss. Dorothy, we are not in Kansas anymore.