The Bitterroot round-up begins - in the snow

The grand finale of the Bitterroot season has begun. The cattle round-up, when guests and staff ride out to move the herd down from their summer grazing in the Shoshone National Forest to the Buffalo Pasture on the ranch, is the culmination of the season and brings people back year after year. Rather than taking guests on trail rides, when the intention is simply enjoyment, the round-up has a serious purpose, and as such can be enormously satisfying. It is always unpredictable and never the same two years running, and there is always plenty of scope for excitement - not to mention heart-in-mouth moments! I had a couple of those when my youngster Asmara, a very pretty grey Arab with black mane and tail, took exception to the idea of leaving the others, but this year, the chief excitement has been provided by the weather. Snow. Lots of it. 

The Absaroka Mountains in the distance on the first day's drive

On the first day, we had rain and a decent blizzard in the afternoon, which sadly put paid to the planned team sorting, and the mountains were snow-capped the following morning. We were expecting more snow that day, but, fortunately, it held off, except for a chilly flurry that only added to the atmosphere, and we had a successful first drive, gathering more than 150 head in two groups. 

First group of cows, Highland and Black Angus

Mel Fox leading the way

Home safely! The herd ambles past the main lodge and the corral 

to the Buffalo Pasture, where they will await their next move

However, that night, the weather closed in properly and we woke to a good six inches, with more falling. It didn't stop drifting down until the afternoon, so the round-up was in a winter wonderland, a Narnian world of white hillside, black cattle and trees all but hidden under their frosty coats. With it being so early in the year, the trees still have plenty of leaves to catch the snowflakes, and their branches are bowed down to the ground with the weight of their load. Every so often, when we were tacking up in the corral, a bushel of snow would slip off its branches, spooking the horses as one. The corral itself went from being beautiful first thing to a muddy quagmire after the horses has been through, not the most pleasant of stuff to trudge through!

The corral at 6.30am, transformed by the snow

The track up to my cabin as the darkness faded

The corral after tacking up - not quite so pretty

Nothing daunted, we all set off together up the forest road, trotting on where the surface allowed to warm up frozen extremities. Once in the forest, we split into three groups to search for cows, most of whom were already close to the fence in anticipation of (slightly) warmer grazing in the valley. It was magical, a silent white world, with an added frisson of fear that there might be bears about. One group had seen gigantic prints in the snow the previous day, and when Singida, my always spooky horse, started to twitch his ears behind him, I couldn't help but wonder if there was something there...

The ranch from the forest road, with the Absaroka Mountains

hidden in the gloom

On the ridge path in the Shoshone National Forest - or Narnia, as it is now known

We made it safely back down the hill, however, and joined together once more to herd the cows down the hill to the ranch. There are still many more to gather, but given the conditions, it's been a great start, if exhausting, hence the brief nature of this post. I can only wonder what the next few days will hold!

Cows at last!

Sorting them out before letting them down the hill - some cows that belonged elsewhere 

had joined the group and had to be cut out. Real-life team sorting!

Counting them through the gate

Down the hill to the ranch

The track down from my cabin to the main lodge as the sun came out,

typically well after we had finished the drive!