Ouray reached a climatological and human tipping point last weekend.

Cabin fever had settled in quite nicely after 12 days of mostly cloudy weather, including to continuous snow days. Some was the ultra-light fluffy air snow called powder Some fell as ice pellets called graupel. Some was nicely wet and sloppy, but very heavy on the shovel.

Brilliant icicles lurked dangerously along local rooffines. After lo days, another 19.4 inches of new snow overlaid an existing mess of dirty, leftover, rather ...