Don't Fence Me In

Fences can come in a number of materials and styles. The one pictured here is made out of aspen and is called a "snake rail fence."

In this particular case, the style has been slightly modified by the inclusion of a post at each junction to help stabilize the fence. With an abundance of aspen in the area, it's no surprise the owner of this property used that for his material. Such fences are not uncommon in the Colorado high country. Ineffective for deer or elk, a fence of this sort is primarily used to contain cattle.

Zig-zagging through the snow-covered landscape, this fence seems to possess a certain charm with several inches of fluffy snow clinging to the rails and set amid this grove of aspen. When you see one of these in Colorado, you can expect to find an old barn or log cabin homestead nearby.

This photo was taken in early January, 2009 on a cross country ski trip near Ridgway, on our way to the Burn Hut, one of several backcountry huts in the San Juan Hut System for skiers to use in the winter and hikers & bikers in the summer.