Yesterday started out UGLY. Aside from the morning Valentine kiss and a good lunch with Great friends, the day was gloomy. The daily trip to the Winter Range to feed the herd was postponed due to Highway closures. The wind and snow had drifted parts of the Highway so much so that it was impassable and the visibility was next to nothing. That did make it possible for Dad to take in an early lunch with his "Girls", but it also made for a long, late day.  By the time lunch was finished the road had been cleared and was again open. Albert headed down with a load of pellets to see how bad the road in to camp was and to feed. After busting through several drifts, getting caught in one was inevitable! Dig, Dig & Dig is all you can do! He was able to manage getting out of the drift, feeding the sheep and getting back to the highway in one piece! On visiting with the herder (this one is from Peru, as most of our sheep herders tend to be!) he learned just how bad it had gotten in the night. Jose (the herder!) had to dig out a group of about 25 ewes that had huddled together in the storm. They had literally been buried alive by the drifting snow. He was able to dig out all but two that were still alive. Two had suffocated in the snow and two more weren't doing too well. Time will tell if those two make it or not. This winter's hardships are becoming more and more evident in the livestock as well as wildlife in the area. We have been in a drought for some years now and these types of events have softened in our memories. Grandpa Clair remembers past winters and this one is mild by some comparisons. In one winter somewhere in the 50's, down by our winter permits, a neighboring herd was also buried alive by blowing and drifting snow. The BLM had brought in equipment to clear a road in to the herd. A group of 4-5 guys (Clair included) took team of horses in with a sled. Where they saw steam rising they would shovel out a sheep. They would then load them on the sled to be pulled to an area where the snow wasn't so deep.
Hopefully this is the last "nasty" storm for us on the winter range this year. This country really needs the moisture and we'll be thankful for that. However, we can be just as thankful with a slow melt and some sunshine! Not to mention...we haven't seen how MUCH snow is in our high country yet! I for one am looking forward to a great Spring! Did someone say....MUD!

I'll be Baa-ck!
Lola Wooly