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.
Bald Mountain at Boreas Pass
Boreas Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 11,481ft above sea level, running through the Colorado Rocky Mountains at the crest of the Front Range. The road over the pass, formerly known as Breckenridge Pass, is now named Boreas Pass Road. This route was used by prospectors during the gold rush that were crossing from South Park in search of gold in the Blue valley around Breckenridge. At the summit is a mountain hut known as Ken's Cabin, built in the 1860's.
Black Powder Pass Colorado
Black Powder Pass sits above Boreas Pass near Breckenridge Colorado. You must hike to get to this pass from either the French Creek from the north or from Boreas Pass on the south. Either way, you will be treated with gorgeous Rocky Mountain views on all sides.
Alpine Sunset Hike on Loveland Pass
On our evening saunter over the alpine ridges above Loveland Pass we encountered a young man who was enjoying the wonderful beauty of the high Colorado Rockies. He was sitting on a rock outcropping with the majestic vistas in all directions. He appeared to be in meditation but after chatting for a moment I found he was in awe and contemplation of the wonderful location he was experiencing. I feel the same way when out sauntering the summits. I took this photograph of him on the way back down to Loveland Pass just as the sun set on the 12,000+ foot summit behind him.
Alpine Ridges above A-Basin
A view of the alpine ridges above Arapaho Basin Ski Area as sun was setting in the west. These Colorado alpine summits are still beautiful even when there is no snow on them in late summer.
Quality Time on Medicine Bow Peak
What better quality time than relaxing on the summit of Medicine Bow Peak in the Snowy Range of Wyoming? I bet this couple has a very strong relationship since they worked together to reach the highest point in the Snowy Range!
Morning Sunrise on Snowy Range Lake
Teig and I watched the sunrise from South Twin Lake in the Snowy Range of Southern Wyoming. Life is so good when I can watch the beauty in nature with this guy. I relish these moments!
Snowy Range Pass in Late Summer
The Snowy Range Scenic Byway (pass) is the second highest mountain pass in Wyoming. The Snowy Range Scenic Byway (Wyoming Highway 130) is located in southeast Wyoming and was originally a wagon road built in the 1870s. The road was paved in the 1930s and designated as the nation’s second Scenic Byway in 1988. After six years of working on the road, it was completed and known as the “Great Skyroad.” The Scenic Byway over the Snowy Range is one of the shortest of Wyoming’s scenic byways, both in length and in the number of months it can be driven.
Treasure Creek Falls
Beautiful waterfalls on Treasure Creek in the San Juan Range of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. We hiked on Summit Trail to these falls which were dappled in nice midday sunlight, perfect to sit beside and have lunch and listen to the sounds of the roaring stream.
Indian Peaks from Fraser Experimental Forest
The beautiful Indian Peaks through the forest canopy outside of Fraser Colorado.
Scouting Wild Trout at Ptarmigan Lake
First thing Teig does when we get to the end of the hike to Ptarmigan Lake in the Sawatch Range of Colorado is get knee deep in the chilly lake and search for trout. I fly-fish periodically and he knows that if he searches for rising fish might mean a trout dinner at the end of the day. Unfortunately on this day, fishing was not on the agenda… but he does not care and will scout for those trout anyway.
Tiny Island in Ptarmigan Pond
A beautiful hike up to Ptarmigan Lake afforded us this awesome view. This pond was near the lake and Teig was checking out the little grass island. Exploring the Sawatch Range in the Colorado Rockies is so much fun especially when there is still snow on the ground and very few hikers.
Evening Fishing on Cottonwood Lake
Beautiful light nearing sunset on Cottonwood Lake in the Sawatch Range of the Colorado Rockies. The lake was serene and this trout fisherman was floating by in his kayak seemingly enjoying the evening whether he caught a trout or not.
Meadow of Colorado Blue Flax
Teig and I love to hike the Colorado Rockies when the alpine meadows are in full bloom. I found a field full of beautiful blue Lewis Flax while hiking the Continental Divide above Cottonwood Pass. Teig and I layed in this meadow of blue and watched the clouds pass overhead... just priceless!
Berthoud Pass Aerial Pano
A 240 degree panorama of Berthoud Pass from June 2019. The photo is looking directly into the snow-covered peaks in the Vasquez Wilderness of Colorado's Rocky Mountains.
White Marsh Marigolds near Snow Field
We came across this meadow of Marsh Marigolds on our hike to Ptarmigan Lake in the Sawatch Range of Central Colorado in early summer. These beautiful flowers were below a huge snow field and I couldn’t pass up the photo opportunity. I just love photographing Colorado mountain flowers.
Traildog in Fog at Gross Reservoir
Teig and I were exploring the area around Gross Reservoir in the Front Range above Boulder Colorado during a rainy day in spring. The lake was quiet and we didn’t see another soul as we hiked the rocks and the beaches of the lake. These are some of my favorite times spending moments with my Colorado Traildog.