Dusk at Heron Lake

View beyond a club dinghy and boats in the marina toward the Narrows at dusk. Last week and weekend we were in Laguna Vista, near Heron Lake in the mountains of northern New Mexico. Gerald and I took a scenic drive in the mountains of the Colorado-New Mexico border, as pictured in a previous post, and the family also took a scenic drive to Pagosa Springs, Colorado. I also went kayaking at Heron Lake a few times. These views are from Friday evening, August 15, 2009, in Willow Creek Cove.

Cliff at dusk. At the height of summer these cliffs are home to thousands of swallows. However, their period of residence is short, in contrast to the Canada geese, who linger nearby almost year round.

Sailboats moored in Willow Creek Cove at the Heron Lake Marina in northern Rio Arriba County, New Mexico.

A visit to the high country of Colorado, just north of New Mexico, April 27, 2009

High in the mountains of southern Colorado, snow still can be found. As the eagle flies, this alpine scenery is only twenty miles from our cabin, less than thirty by road.


Just a wee bit of snow here and there -- should be enough for a snowball fight.



Kiosk and section house (from the former Denver and Rio Grande Narrow Gauge line, now the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad, advertised as the nation's "longest and highest").

Section house behind snow

Snow gauge at Cumbres Pass, showing 3.5 feet of snow remaining. Average snow levels may have been slightly lower since the area near the gauge had a bit of wind drift. However, this is deeply compacted snow that I could walk on top of without sinking down much, so it had a whole lot of water content.

Snow in the high country, April 27, 2009

View across the valley, from a little north of the New Mexico border with Colorado.

Rock knob below Windy Point and view beyond.

Dramatic high country along the Colorado - New Mexico border.

View down to the southwest from Cumbres Pass, toward New Mexico


Buried shed at Cumbres Pass

View from Laguna Vista after spring snow, March 27

Mountain panorama with Brazos Cliffs


Brazos Cliffs -- with an interesting unfortunate twist from the computer

View from the deck

View to southeast from Five O'Clock Somewhere, with rose-gold glow on distant hill.s


View from Five o'clock Somewhere with flags, clouds, hills, and trees.

Heron Lake and Laguna Vista in the snow

Dramatic view of Heron Lake. After a dry autumn season, a series of snow storms marched through northern New Mexico beginning around Thanksgiving. Photos were sent by Belinda from Laguna Vista and illustrate well the local landscape beauty.

Heron Lake, framed by snowy boughs


Elk in the snow. We often see elk at night when driving along Shroyer Drive, but seldom see them during the day. Mule deer, however, are very often seen near our cabin in daytime.

White Thanksgiving near Heron Lake, New Mexico

utility trailer, Laser II, and two Sunfish in the snow

home profile

view down the drive and toward Heron Lake

Five O'clock Somewhere -- cabin in the snow of northern New Mexico on Friday, November 29, 2008.

clouds and snow

boats in the snow