PHOTO ESSAY: A Snowy Pagosa Morning Along the River Walk

I woke up yesterday morning in Pagosa Springs and looked out the cabin window to find an unexpected six inches of fresh snow. My plan had been to travel to Salida, but the beauty of the falling snow beckoned me to travel a different direction.

After shoveling my driveway and sweeping the snow off my vehicle, I packed my camera and my dog Bodie into a warmed-up Yukon, and headed down unplowed roads to the San Juan River Walk. We parked and then walked towards the 8th Street Pedestrian Bridge, the newest amenity to the River Walk loop.

The River Walk – over the Bridge and then to the wetlands and river – was all ours. Bodie was his usual joyful self, frolicking in the snow, running full-out on the walk, and then leaping into the deep drifts.

Steam rose from the hot springs-fed wetlands, lending an erie aura to the setting. The sun made a brief appearance, brightening a monochromatic scene.

The Springs Resort, stately yet serene, was dwarfed by the wetlands’ snow-capped cattails.

Bodie was much more interested in showing off a stick he had found than taking in the majesty of the moment.

I and my content dog headed back to the cabin, and as I started to turn into my driveway, I saw the local rafter of turkeys in my yard. I stopped on the street with motor running, grabbed my camera, and walked up my driveway photographing the scattering turkeys.

They weren’t quite sure what to do with me. Finally one took off in flight, and the others followed.

Except for one turkey, who flew the opposite direction from the rest. That bird reminded me of me.