The Rage of Spring

Popo Agie River

Hi, folks! It's springtime in Wyoming and the river is runnin'. A lot is happening around here and I wanted to share it. No roses to smell yet, but that doesn't mean we can't breathe in the clean mountain air instead. Juniper is awesome too. Have you ever caught a whiff of a spring runoff as it makes its way down the mountain?

Nothing surpasses spring in the Rockies. It's quite amazing. I like to think of it as a combination of rage and relief. Now, I know that sounds a bit odd but there's really no other way I can describe it.

You see, the snow pack is still up there...waiting. We have A LOT of little bitty ice crystals (that's snow) resting on top of the Wind River Mountains... just waiting. And it's June already. What's it waiting for? Heat. To break the bonds that hold them together.

And...finally...be free from the icy bonds of winter. That's what we call the "runoff." And it's absolutely spectacular. When the warm days of spring arrive, freedom is granted. Snow's given legs and it races down the mountains without care for who or what is in its path. Nature speaks..."get out of my way."

In the Rockies, we witness a production of nature like no other on this planet. The water rages as it explodes down the mountains with power and might offering only a roar as its warning. But still, amazingly, relief is its gift.

For soon after the rampage is done, meadows blossom with wildflowers. Lakes, both mountain and prairie, rise. Wildlife congregate and breed. The dry, desolate land laps at the water like a sick child and turns luscious and green.

We may not have roses yet, but we do have juniper. I look at the mountains and see that snow pack and wonder...when will it start? When will the pack get mad? Oh, the river's sassy now. It's loud and wild. But...I'm talking about the snow pack. When will it decide it's time to race?

Until then, I'll be watching and listening. Life in the Rockies isn't easy but spring is amazing, and the river is runnin'.


Photo credit: Renee Blare - May 2016