Prepping for CO this time of year, and for all of our destinations, meant packing for a range of conditions (20’s to 80 °F to be exact)! I also bought some new gear that worked out great today. When I got started at 7 AM, it was 30°F so I donned my new LL Bean Prima-loft pack-away hooded jacket. Underneath, I wore a Merino smart wool 150 crew base layer. I walked the evergreen lake trail and saw a western bluebird along the way! Though it was thawing, the lake was still iced over, so there was a bit of a chill off the ice. I was a bit cold, but once I got my blood flowing and the morning progressed, I was fine.
I walked the pioneer trail to the road crossing and saw loads of pygmy nuthatch. Near the parking area, I saw a gray-headed dark-eyed junco. Over the golf course, I saw what I think were 2 light western red-tailed hawks.
In the afternoon, I walked the Dedisse Trail and found red crossbills, but I wasn’t able to get a recording of their vocalizations. I think that base layer was the most versatile choice for a sunny day that got to 70°F! By the hottest time of the day, I was a little warm in the base layer, but it also moderated my temperature well. I never got so warm that I was terribly uncomfortable, or even “needed” to roll my sleeves.