We woke up to clear skies and very cold temperatures (6°F) for Sandhill crane viewing on March 8, 2026. The Sandhills spend the night on the ground, usually in shallow water as they do not perch, and then start stirring and looking for a good breakfast spot like the field in the foreground in the photo above.
Charging during the festival was easy as pie at the Colorado Welcome Center in Alamosa. For the trip home I charged in Salida (excellent food at Mojo’s Eatery) and Bailey. Charging to and from the San Luis Valley from Denver is convenient and reliable. There is no reason any longer in Colorado to drive a vehicle with a tailpipe and pollute the atmosphere.
Here’s a writeup from The Alamosa Citizen:
Monte Vista saw big crowds for the 43rd annual Crane Festival. The Outcalt Event and Conference at Ski Hi Complex was teeming with people participating in the crane tours and nature work sessions. The retail vendors reported healthy sales. The sandhill cranes themselves didn’t disappoint. The majestic long-legged creatures were in the tens of thousands in the fields around the Monte Vista Wildlife Refuge. The cranes will stick around a bit longer.