One of my favorite discoveries near our remote town is that the crumbling orange badlands to the north don't continue uninterrupted as I had guessed, but instead climb up to even more snow-capped mountains.
As you head down East Fork Road, you soon cross an old bridge over the river.
Continuing on, you eventually wind up high on a hill overlooking what I suspect are badlands still covered in light flora.
Yellow fields lead down to dormant trees by the river, and looking north, more deep red hills lead away to snowy mountains.
Twisted gray plant remnants and vibrant, multi-colored lichen rocks pepper the hill overlooking the gorgeous view.
Heading toward the mountains, it looks like more snow is on its way.
We came across an old jug and a locker rusting on the side of the road, near the Spence & Moriarity Wildlife Management Area.
All in all, it was a lovely and energizing scenic drive, well worth the blustery winds.
The same day we meandered around the East Fork area, we also headed up toward Union Pass, though deep snow and lots of mud prevented us from venturing too far.
On the way up, we saw a custom home with gorgeous sunbursts adorning every eave.
The view leading to Union Pass was thick with pine trees and snow past your knees.
The area was dotted with tall pines even in the open areas, with abundant fallen pinecones. Maybe we'll bring some back next time, for handmade bird feeders. Our newly adopted puppy, Blaze, was proud to join us on our chilly adventure!
To top the day off, we got a rare wintery glimpse of the Ramshorn Peak portion of the mountains, which are typically shrouded in heavy clouds and snowfall.
Be sure to check out the Wildlife Sightings tab at the top of the site! My zoom lens was out of commission for a month and a half, but I've written about all the incredible animals and birds we've spotted in the backyard during that time, and new pictures are pouring in!
