Durango, CO, (elevation 6500 feet) lies in the southwest corner of the state near the San Juan Mountains and just on the edge of the Colorado Plateau. It is a tourist stop because of its proximity to Mesa Verde NP and Purgatory Ski Area, one of the great powder bowls of the west. Plus it is an outdoor haven for hikers, rock climbers, and mountain bike enthusiasts. Both Bob and Marty had visited Durango previously, but this is our first time here together. Even in the unseasonable cold and snow, it is an absolutely beautiful area, with mountains and mesas in the view from every point of the compass. Tourism has prompted the development of a lively downtown area and Fort Lewis College provides a cultural side to the city.

In the clear mountain air, snow melts, and actually sublimates, quickly once the storms pass and the sun returns. So 10 inches all but disappeared in a day, even though the daytime temperature never went above 35 degrees. On Saturday, our final day here, the temperatures will be in the high 50s. More normal for this time of year. Nevertheless we are heading for the lower elevations and balmier weather of New Mexico.