June 24. 2011 by Merilee.

Crested Butte, Colorado

June 23, 2011

This is where Slate River Road ended in a snow slide at 9,471 feet about 8.9 miles from the trails start.  We had planned to continue the scenic drive up to Paradise Divide at 11.9 miles.  You may notice that Brad is not smiling.  The locals say that the snow pack this year is twice what they usually experience.  Slate River was running fast and high in the valley as we ascended.

We stopped for lunch along the Slate River and enjoyed this beaver damn and mountain view with the sound of rushing water.  The lupines where in full bloom and we saw fields of yellow avalanche lilies in bloom. They don’t call this Colorado’s Wildflower Capital for nothing,

Posted in Colorado | Print | No Comments »

June 19. 2011 by Merilee.

June 18, 2011

Colorado Springs, CO

Colorado Springs offers great landscapes and hiking trails.  The Garden of the Gods is a tourist trap but it showcases breath taking large twisted red rock  formations.  The garden was dedicated in 1909 as a free city park.  An abundance of plant and animal life can be found throughout its 1350 acres, as well as the magnificent red sandstone rock formations that have made it world famous.  Many of these formations are over 300 million years old and were sculpted through time by erosion.

Nearby Seven Falls cascades down 181 feet over seven steps of granite cliffs.  I tromped up 224 steps along the falls that lead to two miles of wildlife watching nature trails.  The additional short and scenic route to Midnight Falls. Midnight Falls is pictured below.  It was idyllic and peaceful to listen and ponder this wonder of nature.

Posted in Colorado | Print | No Comments »