A snow storm hit the Sandia Mountains outside of Albuquerque New Mexico and Teig and I went out to explore Elena Gallegos Open Space. The Tree Cholla Cacti were so striking in the snow especially with their bright yellow fruit. It was surreal to see this landscape and the cacti in deep snow.
Winter's Light on Front Range Foothills
Beautiful setting sun light on the foothills near Chatfield State Park in southern Denver. A winter’s chill in the crisp air but the warm sun felt good before night falls on Colorado.
Bull Elk in Tall Grass
Yeoman Park Pond in the Colorado Rockies
A beautiful view of a beaver pond on an early morning hike through Yeoman Park in the Colorado Rockies. The Reflections and autumn color caught my attention in the crisp still mountain air.
Autumn Color on East Brush Creek
Beautiful color on East Brush Creek in Colorado's Sylvan State Park. The falls were flowing well and the location was super peaceful to sit and contemplate nature while listening to the waterfalls.
Three Island Creek Waterfall
Waterfalls don't have to be massive to be beautiful. Finding smaller falls on a creek can be just as rewarding and even better to sit next to and daydream. This was a very nice one on Three Island Creek outside of Steamboat Colorado.
Peaceful Contemplation at Cottonwood Pass
Teig resting in an alpine meadow on a saunter along the ridges above Cottonwood Pass in central Colorado. We like to take periodic breaks from hiking and just absorb the beauty of the high Rocky Mountains. It helps us keep centered and sane in our hectic crazy lives.
Front Range Mountains from High Line Canal
What a beautiful view of the Colorado Rockies from the High Line Canal Trail in Englewood. As a Coloradoan, I sometimes take these gorgeous views for granted. This location is in the heart of our metropolis on an urban trail that gets well used by the city folk. Even though this trail is quite crowded in the summer it has fairly light use in the winter months and is great to capture a bit of nature in the big city.
Lone Winter Leaf
There was still some color on leaves when winter came to the High Line Canal Trail in Englewood Colorado a suburb of Denver. It is fun to find little gems like this lone leaf while sauntering a heavily used urban trail. Sometimes you just have to stop and enjoy the light.
Clear Creek Flowing under Christmas Footbridge
Clear Creek was not completely frozen over during the holidays. Beautiful Christmas lights lined the footbridge and the creek flowed towards downtown Golden and to Coors Brewery beyond.
Golden Footbridge Holiday Lights
The city of Golden Colorado lights up Clear Creek Trail for the holidays and this is the footbridge with beautiful lights. Fog was moving into the valley before the snowstorm.
Ferns in Rock Wall
Teig and I found this beautiful granite rock wall in heavy shadow sauntering up Three Mile Creek in the Mount Evans Wilderness. Ferns were growing out of the cracks and it looked uber cool to me.
Rustic Cabin in Sylvan Valley
Sylvan means "a peaceful, wooded place" and this scene exemplifies that phrase. Teig and I spent a weekend exploring this area west of Vail Colorado and was pleasantly surprised at it's quaint beauty. Steep valleys and high peaks with aspen groves, lodgepole pine and Douglas fir forests on moist slopes with Ponderosa pines and junipers found on drier slopes.
Pond with Fall Color on Three Mile Creek
Teig and I stopped off at a little beaver pond on Three Mile Creek on our way back to the trailhead in the Mount Evans Wilderness. Teig was being his typical attentive self and was searching for trout that may be rising for food. I think he would have been a serious fly-fisherman if he was homosapien.
Teig in the Snow after October Storm
An October snow storm came through Golden last night and we decided to take a jaunt on South Table Mountain for lunch and it was a great time and a good hike.
Carrying His Frisbee
Teig and I were playing frisbee at Cook Park in Denver on a beautiful fall afternoon. Nothing better than spending quality time with my senior pup.
Autumn Leaves in Three Mile Creek
As the season changes in the Rocky Mountains the streams are littered with beautiful gold and orange leaves from the shedding aspens. I was sitting next to Three Mile Creek in the Mount Evans Wilderness meditating with my thoughts and absorbing the calm soft colors in this splendid little creek. I believe these moments are required to keep my sanity in this modern hectic life.
Medicine Bow Peak from Summit Trail
Our view of Medicine Bow Peak on our way up the trail to the summit. Teig and I were enjoying the puffy white clouds and the beautiful bright granite face of the mountains in this wilderness of southern Wyoming.
Storm is Coming in the Medicine Bows
Teig and I were coming down from a saunter in the backcountry of the Medicine Bow National Forest in Southern Wyoming and stopped off at South Gap Lake for a snack. The ominous storm clouds which were brewing since lunch finally engulfed us. We tried to expedite our hike back to the trailhead but were unsuccessful and the rain and hail pelted us the last mile and a half. Even though we were soaked, it was a fantastic adventure well worth the effort.
Vacant Raptor Nest in Baggot Rocks
A very large raptor nest sit upon a large rock formation near Encampment Wyoming. Baggot Rocks is a large grouping of rocks next to the Encampment River and has a beautiful orange color when the rays of the late summer summer sun sets to the west.