Winter Scenes around Ridgway

March 2023  |  Ridgway, Colorado

The 2022/23 winter has been one to remember, with numerous "atmospheric river" events bringing record breaking or near-record snowfall throughout the West (particularly in California and Utah, which both shattered their all-time snowfall records with over 800-900" inches of snow in some places!). While Colorado doesn't ever see that kind of snow, we still had one of our top seasons here in the San Juans with roughly 33% above average snowfall (estimated at 400" for the season up on the pass above Ouray). Additionally, the consistency of fresh snow was very welcome - not just a few big dumps but consistent back-to-back storms for much of February and March.

As usual during the winter months my outdoor pursuits are more geared around chasing powder on my splitboard rather than photography, but nevertheless it's not too difficult to catch beautiful scenes around here without barely trying! Here are a few notable winter moments I photographed in March, mostly close to home in Ridgway.

The town of Ridgway and the Sneffels Range smothered in snow on a wintery March morning.

The town of Ridgway and the Sneffels Range smothered in snow on a wintery March morning.

A juvenile mountain lion in snowy sagebrush near Ridgway, Colorado - February.

A juvenile mountain lion in snowy sagebrush near Ridgway, Colorado - February.

Clouds clear off Mount Sneffels on a snowy March morning.

Clouds clear off Mount Sneffels on a snowy March morning.

Aspens caked in snow in the Cimarrons.

Aspens caked in snow in the Cimarrons.

A frosted aspen in the Cimarrons.

A frosted aspen in the Cimarrons.

An overnight snowstorm clears from Mount Sneffels on a soon-to-be bluebird morning in March.

An overnight snowstorm clears from Mount Sneffels on a soon-to-be bluebird morning in March.

Clouds swirl past Mount Ridgway in the Sneffels Range.

Clouds swirl past Mount Ridgway in the Sneffels Range.

A glorious bluebird winter morning in Ouray, Colorado - March.

A glorious bluebird winter morning in Ouray, Colorado - March.

A fiery winter sunset behind a lone pinyon pine.

A fiery winter sunset behind a lone pinyon pine.