Late January, but it feels like October, or March. We've had a grand total of four inches of snow in these parts, all season! Temperatures struggle to drop below freezing at night, and daytime highs soar from the 30's into the 40's and 50's. I don't recall a single daytime high below freezing yet. In my 35 years of living in the arctic, barren wasteland of southern Wyoming, I've never seen a Nov.-Jan stretch so warm and dry. We've had some multi-day wind storms that have preserved the area's reputation, but no cold or precip.
The river corridor is snow and ice free. The surrounding 12,000 ft. high peaks look more like May, with only a dusting. Trout rise most of the day in the slower slicks. Not the bigger fish, but the short skinny ones. Noses to cast too. It's all midges lately, and the risers aren't picky. I've been busy on the lake, where the unseasonable weather keeps attracting clients. On days off the river calls. The flows are low, and there are no fluctuations. Perfect.
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| I can always count on this riffle and pool being full of heads. |
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| I guess the river is aptly named. |
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| This parking lot is empty on only a very few days of the whole year. Most of the year it's full everyday. |
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| No wind. Mirror smooth. That's a little rare too. |
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| This part of the reservoir is nearly always frozen in late January. Not this year. The entire 90 mile long reservoir is ice free. Unheard of. It may be getting too late for any brutal cold, but the moisture will come sometime. It always does. |
