What a joy hiking in the Fraser Experimental Forest west of Winter Park, Colorado. On this day we were exploring St. Louis Creek which is one of the streams flowing down a beautiful valley towards Fraser. Teig and I came across small cascading falls on the creek which caught my eye. Who doesn’t love the sound of falls on a Rocky Mountain Creek?
Crosses in the Mission Ruins
We came across this wonderful spanish ruin while hiking on the Withers Canyon Trail in the Comanche National Grasslands. It is very rewarding to find these jewels of American Western History in Colorado while exploring our wonderful state. This section of the hiking trail was once part of the Santa Fe Trail and this ancient mission was a site where the spaniards worked to convert the local indians to catholicism.
Moonset on Square Top Mountain
We witnessed the moonset on our hike up to the summit of Square Top Mountain near Guanella Pass in the Rockies of Colorado. It is very rewarding to see the moon set on the Rocky Ridges above 13,000 feet. Definitely motivates the adventurous explorer to bag the peak.
Traildog on South Table Mountain at Dusk
Teig and I love to hikes on South Table Mountain outside of Golden Colorado after work. The large mesa is a place close to metro Denver but has a quaint wilderness feel when out exploring near dark. Teig is shown here near one of the promontories on the north side of the open space.
Traildog Scouting for Trout at Crater Lakes
What do you do when you bushwhack over a Colorado mountain and end up at Crater Lakes? Well I take a load off and rest but Teig goes on a Trout scouting mission to find the rising fish in the beautiful mountain lake. Can’t blame him… it is fun to see the big ones feed on bugs at the surface.
Bridge over Joe Wright Creek
Teig and I were trekking up to Blue Lake in the Never Summer Mountains of northern Colorado when we crossed this bridge over Joe Wright Creek. The day was perfect for a hike and the morning was nice a crisp. Teig had to stop and check out the views from the footbridge.
Shake it off in the Colorado Creek
Teig shaking off some of the icy cool water after a long drink in the creek on our way up to Blue Lake in the Never Summer Mountains of Colorado. Nothing better than a refreshing gulp of that pure Rocky Mountain stream water!
Just Chillin Off the Trail
Teig on a long hike to Blue Lake in the Never Summer Mountains of northern Colorado. When you get a chance to relax in the shade off of the trail you take it. A little down time on a 10 mile saunter in the Rockies is good for the body and soul.
Log in Rocky Mountain's Grass
Interesting textures are found all through nature. A log next to a lake in some tall grass 11,000 feet up in the Colorado Rocky Mountains can entertain the naturalist while he eats his fruit and nuts on a long summer’s hike.
Traildog Exploring Browns Lake
Teig needs some cooling off and play time after hiking and reaching Brown’s Lake in the Never Summer Mountains of Colorado.
Rolling in the Snow on Whale Peak
When we find snow fields while hiking in the high Colorado Rockies, it is required for Teig to play and roll around on them. He LOVES this! We found this one on Whale Peak near Georgia Pass. Stoic Mount Guyot is in the background.
Swan River Valley from Whale Peak
After spending the morning hiking up to Whale Peak from Georgia Pass, we were afforded these classic high Colorado Rockies view. If you are not inspired to get out and explore after seeing this, then you must not have a pulse.
Mount Guyot in August
A look back to Mount Guyot on a hike to Whale Peak in the Front Range Mountains of Colorado. Guyot is one of my favorite peaks and his very distinguishable from its east and south faces. Definitely a Colorado Rockies Icon. This photo was taken on an Iphone 7 I had on me for that hike.
Let's head up!
Teig was resting on a snow field off the Nystrom Trail in the Vasquez Peak Wilderness of Colorado. This is one of the quintessential hiking trails near Winter Park and he needed to cool his paws off and roll in the snow for a bit. He was done cooling off and was eyeing our present route up the mountains.
Shroom next to Granite Boulder
A cool looking mushroom near the Vasquez Creek trail outside of Winter Park Colorado. I believe this is the species Laccaria laccata.
Lone Rocky Mountain Goat
A lone mountain goat grazing on Mount Evans on a summer day as the it was beginning to snow. This is typical even in August above 14,000 feet amsl in the Rockies of Colorado.
Traildog on the Ridges near Whale Peak
Teig and I love hiking the Rocky Mountain highlands in the Front Range Mountains west of Denver. There are locations where you don’t run into a single other soul on a hike. This was one of those days when we hiked to Whale Peak in late summer.
Natural Container of Colorado Alpine Buttercups
Who needs a store bought container for your Colorado Alpine Buttercups? On the trail to Stanley Mountain I found this fantastic container of the flowers which nature provided. You just have to hike 4 miles to view them.
Teig Focused on the Trail from Glacier Peak
Looking towards Mount Guyot from Glacier Peak in the Front Range mountains of Colorado. So awesome to be hiking these alpine ridges with my Colorado Traildog Teig.
Colorado Alpine Sunflowers near Glacier Peak
We passed through a wonderful meadow of beautiful alpine sunflowers on our saunter up Glacier Peak in the Front Range Mountains of Colorado. Such vibrant yellows cheers the soul of any hiker!