2008 Montana Holiday Vacation Photos (Part IV)

This is the last set of photos from my trip. Don't worry, some are weather-oriented.


Trinity Methodist Church on North Main Street in Butte, Montana.


The Belmount Headframe on Mercury Street.


Turbulent clouds south of Manhattan, Montana on December 29th.


The sun beginning to set over the Big Horn Mountains, near Parkman, Wyoming.



Sunset fire over the Big Horn Mountains, south of Sheridan, Wyoming.

Dann.

Coming up soon: Photos from the New Year's Eve sunset and a 2008 weather and chasing year in review.

2008 Montana Holiday Vacation Photos (Part III)

Bell/Diamond Headframe


City of Butte (left), Granite Mountain Mine Memorial (center), Bell/Diamond Headframe (right)

Plane landing at Bert Mooney Airport.

Montain Con Headframe from Buffalo Street.


Snow flies over the city of Butte, from Buffalo Street.

Dann.

2008 Montana Holiday Vacation Photos (Part II)

My father making a trip between our house and the car.

The Travona Headframe at sunset on December 26th.

The Hotel Finlen, Uptown Butte on December 28th.

East Park Street and South Wyoming Street in Uptown Butte, Montana.

One of many painted wall advertisements in Uptown Butte.

Dann.

To Wrestle The Wind

I'm back in Colorful Colorado. My trip to Montana was great. We had at least four different dendritic snowfall events including one on Christmas Day (talk about a "white" Christmas!)

Travel could have been a lot worse. On the way up, I only had to contend with wind in Wyoming (north of Cheyenne) and then again near Livingston, Montana (with blowing snow). The passes in south central Montana were snow packed but not icy. On the way back to Colorado, the snow ended in Butte just as I was leaving. The sun came out and made Homestake Pass slushy, but not slippery. The roads were dry after that and I only dealt with insane wind once south of Buffalo, Wyoming. Checking obs along the path, I was battling 30-50mph crosswinds at times! No wonder my arms are sore. There wasn't any blowing snow in Wyoming ... just blowing dust. It was very hard to see at times.

When I left Denver, it was cold. We had been battling inversions for almost the entire month of December. When I pulled up at my apartment this evening, the temperature was 55ºF with stiff southwesterly winds. Finally, some of the snow has had a chance to melt.


Anyway, that about wraps up the weather side of things. I took a lot of pictures but haven't had much time since being home (only an hour now) and really haven't gone through them. So, I'll share my favorite one since it came out well and I don't really have to do anything save for slapping a watermark on.


Bell/Diamond Mine (Gallows/Head) Frame
Butte-Silver Bow County, Montana
10:47PM MST December 28th, 2008
(click for larger image)

Dann.