Day 10 – The Melt

After hearing the unmistakable strains of running water drifting over the snow from the direction of the creek, I donned my bunny boots, grabbed my camera, and headed down the hill on WaterQuest. The driveway has been making interesting progress. Lake Whatthehell has completely evaporated. And I came across this little snow bridge that just screamed out for some kind of troop of action figures, lined up on a quest, fording the river…

But today, I am the action figure, with my trusty sidekick the no-longer-puking noble hound at my side. The little spring that flows into the creek was obviously open at this end, so signs looked good.

The banks of the spring held for a few steps, and then turned into something I’d liken to a trough of instant oatmeal with added gravel. The action figures would surely have perished in this quickmud, but I and the hound, being giants of immense proportion, soldiered on.

Soon the spring disappeared under a snow-covered layer of ice. It held our weight, but there was a certain amount of creaking going on, and a light trickle could be heard through the ice. The water was stealthy, but nothing was stopping it’s pact with gravity.

A tributary shot off the the right that had worn through the snow and ice.

A miniature crevasse revealed moving water about six inches down. We followed the trail.

All along the way, we saw evidence of dark-colored things that had been soaking up the warm-enough rays of the warm-enough sun, retaining the heat, and melting themselves down into the snow pack.

Almost to the creek! Would the little waterfall that tumbles over that fallen spruce be open? Would the little swirling pool on the downstream side of the waterfall be bubbling and churning?

Um. No. This entire picture ^^ should have a lovely babbling creek flowing down the open snowy part, and tumbling cheerfully over the black mucky bit at the bottom.

Here is the lovely, breathtaking waterfall shot. I know what you’re thinking. That shot right there should be in a calendar.

The noble hound stood atop the ice just below where the little pool should be, sniffing the air, and listening for moose or bears, and undoubtedly noticing the loud burbling under her paws. A larger scale of our little spring up the hill, this water was loud. It was tired of this ice crap, and was ready to bust out. You could just tell. But, alas, there was more work to be done, so back we went.

Other dark-colored objects were found melting into the snow. Brian the moose was kind enough to leave a pile of business cards for us on the trail.

And there was this little patch of green, although it was a holdover from last year, it was still a nice change from the fifty shades of ick.

Not a particularly noteworthy day, nor a particularly noteworthy landscape. But, it wasn’t freezing cold, it was not snowing, and that is progress.

The other “dogs” were kept nice and warm and try in the proper footwear.

Onward and upward.

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