Winter, ready or not

by Katie Klingsporn November 29, 2019

Crowheart Butte peeks out from a blanket of freezing fog in the wake of a recent snowstorm. In the foreground, the landscape glitters under a skein of frost. (Eugenie Copp/WyoFile)

Ready or not Wyoming, winter is here. The season announced its presence across the state this week with plummeting temperatures and a succession of snowstorms.

Heavy snow and high winds wreaked havoc on holiday travel, particularly in the southern half of Wyoming, and were severe enough to shut down much of the state. On Tuesday, Gov. Mark Gordon authorized the closure of state offices in Cheyenne, the University of Wyoming shut down its campus and WDOT closed many sections of I-80 between Cheyenne and Evanston.

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Though it snarled plans, slowed traffic and caused many begrudging residents to pull out their snow shovels, winter also delivered heartbreaking beauty in scenes like this one, which shows Crowheart Butte peeking out of a heavy blanket of freezing fog as the foreground glitters under a skein of frost.

Katie Klingsporn

Katie Klingsporn reports on outdoor recreation, public lands, education and general news for WyoFile. She’s been a journalist and editor covering the American West for 20 years. Her freelance work has... More by Katie Klingsporn

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