Sunday, February 8, 2009

Return to Guanella Pass

February 1, 2009

Richard Stevens:

Some Mountain Birding in Clear Creek & Summit Counties

Randy Cross, Bryan Ehlmann, Gary Zeeto and I returned to Guanella Pass. I know that I said there was a 99.99 percent chance that I would not snow shoe the last 2.4 miles up there again this year. Darn that 00.01 percent chance.

I was in a little better shape this time (over my cold, more sleep, more food). The trip was not as tiring. We made it up in an hour and 45 minutes and the trip down was only 45 minutes.

Once on the relatively flat summit (there is a 400 yard climb and a 500 yard descent once back to the parking area) we snow shoed around for about 2 hours. White-tailed Ptarmigan were found northwest of the 603 & Rosalie Trails and also around the willows at the east side of the lake below the summit!

Before the climb we drove into Summit County to search for Rosy Finches and other mountain birds. Barrow's Goldeneyes were again found on the Blue River Water Treatment Plant.

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