Some interesting scars on an aspen tree off of the Burning Bear trail. They appear to be bear claw marks probably from a bear climbing the tree. I find these scars so interesting and can hint to a story from the past. It is fun to imagine the bear climbing the tree and hypothesize why he was doing it.
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.
Warm Fall Colors Near Buena Vista
The warm sensation one feels when they approach a colorful stand of Colorado autumn aspens.
Autumn in Mount Evans Wilderness
Teig just off the Three Mile Creek trail in the Mount Evans Wilderness during Colorado's Fall color run.
Pastels Across Colorado Backcountry Road
It is wonderful to explore the 4X4 backcountry roads in the Colorado Rockies on a beautiful crisp autumn morning in mid-September. Awesome gold and orange colored aspens can cross your path at any turn.
Colorado Autumn Colors
September in Colorado's Rocky Mountains is a vibrant display of autumn's colors. The sides of mountains can be a gorgeous palette of warm reds, bright golds and subdued greens against a deep blue sky. We are definitely blessed to witness this wonderful explosion of nature best colors.
Castle Rock Crags
These awesome crags sit in front of Castle Rock outside of Buena Vista Colorado. You can see these formation as you venture down Highway 285 from South Park into the Arkansas Valley. I have always loved them and decided to get a cool aerial shot with sunset light on their western faces.
Traildog at Lost Park
Autumn colors abound in late September in the high country of Colorado. Teig loves hikes under the canopy of gold colored aspens. He even looks stately in grass field between those aspens.
Llama Running Along Fence
This llama was super curious of Teig and I when we got out of our truck to photograph the storm over the distant vistas. He kept an eye on us the whole time to make sure we didn’t trespass on his turf.
Aspens in Central Colorado
I consider aspens the backbone of Colorado Rocky Mountain forests.
Valle Vidal in Autumn
The Valle Vidal in the Sangre de Cristo mountains of northern New Mexico is quite the view during the autumn color change. The valley stretches out below you and the mountains are dappled in yellow and gold with the air is crisp and clean. From the higher altitude, you can view the high peaks to the south near Taos and Santa Fe. What a wonderful sight.
Autumn Colors Above Camp Hale
A 180 degree view from a few hundred feet above Camp Hale in the Eagle River Valley north of Leadville Colorado. This valley was surrounded in early Autumn color and we spent a good half day playing and exploring around Camp Hale.
Autumn Colors at Weston Pass
One of my favorite 4x4 roads is Weston Pass outside of Leadville Colorado. Coming from the Arkansas River Valley up to the top of the Mosquito Range is quite the visual experience especially when the colors are changing in fall. This view was mine late in the afternoon as I looked back towards the Collegiate Mountain Range with Big Union Creek winding down the valley.
Aspen Stands Before Spring Awakening
Early spring in the Colorado Rockies show the “bare bones” of the aspens before they begin to leaf. Lost Park near the Lost Creek Wilderness is a great place to check out the multitude of aspen stands before the bloom.
Colorado Backcountry Road in Autumn
A taste of what it is like to tour the backcountry of Colorado when the aspens are changing their colors to orange and gold. This is a dirt road in central Colorado near Buena Vista.
Colorado Color in the Gulch
Autumn Colors in Colorado are Awesome! You don’t even need a large peak in the background to be overwhelmed.
Bull Moose at Maroon Lake
This bull moose was roaming Maroon Lake above Aspen Colorado. This is the location where people get the iconic images of Maroon Bells and this guy was creating excitement and some havoc with the photographers. I was definitely enjoying the scene and watching him run off some of the folks.
Alpine Avens, Aspen Daisies and Traildog
Adventuring the Rockies of central Colorado, Teig and I came across a beautiful alpine meadow and we had to stop and ponder the far off Mount Guyot and the valley below. This is our favorite place to be in the summer. Up above the trees you can see the peaks stretching off in the distance and the air is crisp and clean. The beauty fills the soul and the freedom to explore is fantastic.
Alpine Avens, Aspen Daisies and Traildog
Moose at Maroon Lake
A moose was feeding at Maroon Lake below iconic Maroon Bells outside of Aspen Colorado on a crisp morning. He became a bit agitated and let me know that he did not want me any closer than 50 yards and I respectfully complied. No chance I was going to get into a tussle with this big boy!
Moose at Maroon Lake