Winter is slow to come to Colorado this year

Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing the Colorado backcountry will not be happening until we get more snow -- much more snow.  But we have been able to hike more.  Just last weekend, my g/f and I enjoyed a long hike and picnic lunch in the 50 degree warmth.

Here's a photo of the Crystal River following the first and only big snow of the year.  This past weekend brought a little more snow and very cold temperatures, leading me to think that autumn might be ending soon.

Late Autumn in the Colorado Mountains

The hunters are in the woods now, looking for deer and elk.  I meant to bring my blaze orange vest, but forgot.  So I hoped that staying on the trail, especially one where I see few deer and fewer hunters, would keep me safe.

There were some boot tracks from the trailhead to the split between Yule Creek and Anthracite Pass.  I took the former, and the other person or persons must have taken the latter, as the snow was untracked after that point. 

About half way up I started seeing paw prints, probably from a mountain lion (though I'm no tracker).  They continued the rest of the way, but I saw no wildlife.

the Yule Creek valley

This is one of my favorite places to go, because it's close to home and the view from this point is hard to match.  I call those mountains (two unnamed, and Mt. Justice) the "baby bells" for their similarity to the Maroon Bells, about fifteen or so miles to the east.

Autumn in the Colorado Mountains

The summer's drought is leaving the colors a little muted this year, but they're still spectacular.  It had been cloudy and rainy much of this week, when the colors were peaking.  I tried shooting with mixed results.  Then this morning the sun came out and lit up the scenery in a magnificent way.  A little fresh snow on the high peaks makes the scene perfect.

Chair Mountain from Placita, between Redstone and Marble, Colorado

Huntsman's Ridge

Treasure Mountain(left), Chair Mountain (right), and the Raggeds form the backdrop of this scenic view above the Crystal River Valley.

People familiar with the Colorado mountains will find it odd that this shot was taken in early July.  Why?  Because there's hardly any snow to be found!  A below-average winter (with respect to snowfall), coupled with a very warm spring and summer has left the mountains very dry and relatively snow-free.

The Crystal River, which flows in the valley above, is running about 80% below average for this time of year.  Until the rainfall of last week, it was flirting with the record lows of 1977.

All of us out here are hoping that the wildfires making the news are brought under control quickly, and that few new ones take their place.  We remember the summer of 2002 well, when everyone was on edge all summer long. 

This morning, I hiked up Hunstman's ridge again.  I've done this about a dozen times this spring and summer, as it's close to home and makes for a great training hike.  I would like to get up into the other high country some more, but have been busy with a variety of things, and just haven't gotten around to it yet.  Soon, I hope.

East Creek Trail

 

Climbing 4,000 feet over five or six miles, the East Creek trail isn't one to take lightly.  In addition to being steep and long, there's not really much to see for the first four miles.  Therefore I think it's one you don't attempt unless you're prepared to go to the top. 

Once at the top, the successful hiker is greeted with a large amphitheater filled with wildflowers.  The warm dry summer we're experiencing in Colorado this year means that flowers are peaking earlier, and I chose to hike East Creek two weeks before my original target date. 

The trailhead begins above the boulevard in Redstone, about fifteen miles south of Carbondale.  There's a parking area on the boulevard, and as it's been eight years since my last hike up this trail, I was fooled into thinking I had to park there.  There's also room for a few vehicles at the trailhead, and if you drive up there, you'll save yourself a mile of hiking and several hundred feet of vertical gain.  Had I done so, I'm sure my knees wouldn't have been as sore that evening.

There was no early season this year

The west lake looked about the same as it usually does.

You can see the normal waterline, about four feet above this year's level.

In a normal year, this log would be fully submerged in the lake.

Late April and early May are typically known as "mud season" in the mountains.  The ski areas are closed and spring melt is creating lots of seasonal streams and muddy trails.  The low snowfall this year pretty much eliminated both mud season and early season.  Areas that would normally be impassable are already easy to hike.  I've been hiking above 10,000 feet all month and have encountered snow only in the shady and north-facing areas. 

Needless to say, this has everyone concerned about forest fires and river levels.  Not only will the rafting season be shortened, but fishing could be a challenge if the streams dry up quickly.  And because this looks as dry as the summer of '02, we're concerned that forest fires - like those that ravaged the west that year - will be a frighteningly dominant feature.  Already there are a number of fires, and the skies in this area were hazy and smelled like smoke on Saturday.

Saturday night, however, a cold front passed through, and Sunday was clear and cold.  My friend Russ and I got an early start and hiked to Thomas Lakes, on the north slope of Mt. Sopris.  I like to hike this trail a couple of times each year, both because it's close to Carbondale and because it's a great hike.  The distance (about eight miles round trip) is moderate, and the scenery is outstanding.

Ice-climbing a frozen waterfall

Ice-climbing

Hayes Creek falls, south of Redstone, Colorado is a popular ice-climbing location in winter. There are a few more places in the Crystal River valley, and I'm eager to find and photograph them.