an explosion of autumn mountain color

Heavy spring rains created a fungus that caused many aspens to drop their leaves early this year, but there were enough of those that didn't to create some spectacular landscapes.  These were taken not in the wilderness (which is filled with hunters now), but in the Crystal River valley, between Redstone and Marble, Colorado.

McKee Pond, near Marble

click on this pond panorama to see it better

Early Septober Colors

Over the next few weeks, something magical happens in the Colorado mountains, and many thousands of people will flood into the area to witness it.  The autumn color explosion is an amazing thing to view, and I've enjoyed having front row seats for over a dozen years.

It begins with the small plants, then spreads to the scrub oak, and reaches full peak when the large groves of aspen trees change their hue.  Before moving out here, I thought that aspens simply went from green to yellow.  While many do only that, many also turn orange and even red.  The mountain sides are ablaze with color for a couple of weeks, and walking, biking, or driving through the area is an experience you must enjoy.

I took my tripod and camera out yesterday to capture some of the early color.  The fading wildflowers completed the tableau:

American Lake, near Aspen, Colorado

American Lake is in the Castle Creek valley, southwest of Aspen, Colorado.  It's in the Snowmass-Maroon Bells Wilderness Area.  Like nearby Cathedral Lake, it's a popular hike for both the scenery and proximity to the famous ski town. 

I had hiked there once before, but the skies were cloudy, and I wasn't terribly pleased with my photos.  We had perfect weather for the hike and for photography yesterday, and here's what I brought back.

the upper half of the trail passes through pine groves

the gray jays, known as camp-robbers, are used to seeking food from hikers

visitors are struck by the beautiful color of the lake

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

The Crystal River Valley, South of Redstone, Colorado

A familiar trail I've avoided for a while was a perfect place for a short hike last Saturday afternoon.  Few other places have sage brush, scrub oak, and aspen trees.  Because colors are changing later this year, the scrub oak is peaking while the aspens are changing.  It's a great time for landscape photography, especially when using a polarizing filter.

This unmarked trail goes by many names, and is on few maps.  Driving north from Placita to Redstone, the road descends into a canyon.  On the right is a turn-out, and on the left one can pick the grade of a long-abandoned road bed climbing the western slope of the valley.  If you're coming from Redstone, it's about three and a half miles south of the coke ovens on highway 133.