[Journal entry for January 15, 2019; Swan Mountain Power Line, Frisco Colorado]. In the afternoon, I parked at the hiker’s lot at the south end of Swan Mountain Road, by the Blue River highway bridge. Two trails diverge from this point; one follows the Blue River and is fairly level; the other climbs the steep western flank of Swan Mountain. I took the latter, which follows the very steep service road of a power line. The afternoon was overcast and chilly, but the strenuous process of snowshoeing up the steep incline kept me warm. In places, the route was so steep that I could only take five or ten steps before needing to stop to catch my breath. The trail had not been travelled since the last snowfall and was covered with six inches of new powder. Nevertheless, I followed it closely, for I sank in to my knees when I stepped off. I passed outcrops of a granitic rock with prominent pink orthoclase feldspar phenocrysts, up to two inches across. I also spotted a snow fly – a long legged insect with antifreeze blood that is active in winter. The views towards Buffalo Mountain and the Tenmile Range are fine, yet not as spectacular as on many of the other nearby trails, since the power line pylons and wires partially obstruct them. I made my way up to a local high. The road beyond me descended into a broad shallow valley, on the far side of which may have been the Swan Mountain summit.

I walked a circle around the nearby pylon, and then turned about and retraced by route down. The snowshoeing was much easier, though I had to be careful not to slide too much with each step.

About an hour and a half.