Fresh Blanket of Snow

Denver commuters who were westbound this morning and who happened to glance up from the brake lights in front of them were treated to a spectacular view of Mount Evans sporting a fresh coat of snow. I didn't notice it until I arrived at our Lowry offices and was parking my car. My eastbound commute, apart from watching brake lights, consists of seeing the sun slowly creep above the horizon.

After the warmest September on record the first couple of days of October have hinted at what is to come weather-wise. Cooler temperatures are becoming the norm and last night saw some heavy rains in the metro area. If the temperatures had been much cooler Denver would have seen its first snowfall but that, at least for now, was reserved for the higher terrain west of town. 

For those of you new to Denver, Mount Evans is the 14'er that dominates the western skyline. According to the measured distance function on Google Maps, from our Lowry offices in east Denver its almost exactly 40 miles as the crow flies to the summit of this lofty peak (14,271 ft.) and on a clear day it would be possible to see Mount Evans from as far away as Limon (105 miles) out on the eastern plains. Folks who have been here a while are probably aware that you can drive to the top of Mount Evans during summer months on the highest paved road in North America. 

Originally known as Mt. Rosa or Mt. Rosalie, in 1895 Colorado's legislature officially renamed the peak in honor of John Evans, second governor of the Colorado Territory from 1862 to 1865. Evans had been forced to resign 30 years prior because of his part in the infamous Sand Creek Massacre and its subsequent cover-up.

I've been in Denver since 1971 and I can remember driving up Mount Evans when there was still a restaurant and gift shop at the top called the Crest House. That building burned down in 1979 but the rock foundation remains. As you would imagine the weather on the mountain can be extreme, and Mount Evans even saw a high altitude tornado at almost 12,000 feet on July 28, 2012. Mount Evans is also famous for its snow white mountain goats which regularly are seen along the road to the summit. 

This morning's snow may not last for long as it is still early season, but this first coat is a harbinger of what we'll be seeing in Denver before too long.