An early winter storm with bitter cold temperatures with snow snuck up on the San Juan Mountains killing every last wildflower or so I thought.
While hiking at 12.5k in the brisk wind, I stumbled across a small patch of paintbrush partially covered in snow. They had managed to survive the killing frost.
The snow insulated them from sure death as I sat there with them shivering in the brutal cold as a sunset was developing which helped to cheer up the now winter like landscape.
Already longing for next year….
Unlikely survivors…
