Duley Park on the Avalanche Creek trail

About four and a half miles up the Avalanche Creek trail is Duley Park, an open expanse that looks like a great place to build your dream home.  For day-hikers, this is a great spot to enjoy lunch and take photos.  Backpackers could make camp in the pines near the creek.  On the other side of the clearing the trail continues its gentle climb toward Avalanche Lake - the last mile and a half of which is rather steep.  There's also a junction with a trail that goes over a pass into Lead King Basin.

I often hike Avalanche Creek early in the season because of its low elevation and southern exposure.  September is a nice time too, as the golden fields compliment the blue skies and puffy white clouds.  In a couple of weeks, the aspens that cover the northern slopes of the valley will be ablaze in color, and I may return to photograph them.

The Avalanche Creek trailhead is in the campground at the end of the USFS road that turns east from Highway 133 about ten miles south of Carbondale, Colorado.

Frying Pan Lakes in the Hunter-Frying Pan Wilderness Area

We've made a couple of day-hikes to Frying Pan Lakes, but this was my first time camping there.  It was also my first time going on a solo backpack trip.  Not sure why I've waited so long to try an overnight trip alone, but I had such a good time, that I'll do it again.  Backpacking alone means carrying the stove, fuel, water filter, tent, etc. yourself.  Nobody else with whom to share the load.  So I looked to save weight where I could, and managed to get a fully-loaded pack at thirty-nine pounds (not including my camera).

My map shows a trail beyond the lakes, over the saddle to the west of Deer Mountain, where there's a couple more small lakes, but I wasn't able to follow it.  About a half mile south of the upper lake, the trail became ambiguous, and eventually stopped at a seemingly impenetrable field of willows.  I climbed a boulder field, hoping to find a way around (or through), but eventually returned to the upper lake to take more photos.  Later in the day, a trio of hikers, who had started at a hairpin turn below Independence Pass, came over the saddle and down through the lakes.  They reported that they just pushed through the willows.  I guess I'll have to try that sometime.

To reach the trailhead for Frying Pan Lakes, drive east from Basalt about thirty-two miles to where the road makes a hairpin turn and begins climbing towards Hagerman Pass.  On your right is an improved dirt road that leads to the trailheads for both this hike and Lily Pad Lake.  The trailhead is at 10,000 feet, and the lakes are at 11,000 feet.  The surrounding peaks and ridges are above 13,000 feet, making for a very dramatic - and photogenic - scene.  Roughly halfway to the lakes, the trail crosses the river via a sturdy bridge.  This is a great place to stop, drink some water, and take a few photos.

Lost Lake Slough and the Three Lakes Trail loop

Not far from Kebler Pass, at the base of the Beckwith Mountains, is Lost Lake Slough.  In addition to being a great car-camping area, it's the trailhead for the Three Lakes trail loop.  The loop is relatively easy and takes you past a great waterfall in addition to the lakes.

To reach Lost Lake Slough, take the Kebler Pass road west out of Crested Butte or east from the Paonia Reservoir.

Maps - find a trail, and find your way along one with good maps

Over twenty years ago, I was camping in Rocky Mountain National Park when a woman straggled out of the woods looking both lost and relieved that she wasn't in the woods anymore.  In her hand was an 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper that could only be described as a photocopy of a hand-drawn trail map.  She was many miles from where she wanted to be, and ill-equipped to get there.

Years before, I learned the value of a good map when introduced to the topographical maps produced by the U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS).  I never went on a backpack or day-hike trip without one.  The scale, accuracy, and level of detail on these maps made them indispensable to the outdoor explorer.

Today, I favor maps from Trails Illustrated, part of National Geographic.  They begin with USGS topo maps, and review them for accuracy and changes, then print them on waterproof paper.  Each map contains several USGS maps, so the scale is manageable, and the area covered is broad enough that one map should have enough coverage for a multi-day loop. 

To find new areas to explore, or find my way to a trailhead, a road atlas won't do.  The Colorado Atlas & Gazetteer from DeLorme is in my car all the time (unless I bring it inside to examine).  The DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer series now covers all fifty states (they used to make them for only the states worth visiting).  They also offer GPS downloads, digital maps, and other useful things to help you find your way in the backcountry.

Being somewhat "old school," I prefer maps and a compass to a GPS receiver.  The latter can be heavy, requires batteries, and tells you where you are - not which direction you're facing.

Mormon Lake in the Holy Cross Wilderness Area

The hike to Lyle and Mormon lakes is one of our favorites.  Previously we did it as a day hike, but this time we camped at Lyle Lake, allowing us to photograph both lakes in the morning.

Lyle and Mormon lakes are in the Holy Cross Wilderness Area of Colorado.  The trailhead is on the road to Hagerman Pass, in the Fryingpan River valley.

Camping Cuisine

Of all the aspects of camping, none has more variety of preferences than food.  I've seen some guys, in an effort to keep their packs light, carry just enough food to sustain them for the duration of the trip.  Others ignore the weight in order to "dine in style" on the trail.  Some opt for convenience, while others are willing to actually cook (and clean up from) a meal.  This shouldn't be surprising, as food tastes in homes and restaurants vary widely. 

What you do, therefore, will depend on your own preferences.  I'll let you know what I've done in the past, and offer considerations and options for your trips.  First of all, weight is important.  The longer your trip (both in days and miles), the more you'll appreciate keeping your pack weight in a reasonable range.  Advances in camping equipment technology and design have made available some really fantastic products, such as lightweight stoves and water filters, so you can focus on the food itself when managing how much space and weight are used for meals.

Since water availability is a prime consideration in choosing camping spots, dry and dried foods are a great way of travelling light.  Fresh fruit and vegetables (e.g. apples and carrots) should be eaten early in the trip, as they have a lot of water, and often suffer from too much jostling in your pack.  High energy foods, like peanut butter, provide a lot of calories and satisfaction in a small package.

For breakfast, some options include instant oatmeal with dried fruit, granola and milk (lowfat milk, in powder form is good for both cereal and your coffee), or even breakfast bars for maximum convenience.

While we've set up the stove and made ramen noodle soup for lunch, we usually opt for a cold meal.  Crackers or a dense bread travel well.  Top them with peanut butter, cheese, salami, or even hummous (some good mixes are available).  Adding fruit, fresh or dried, to the meal makes it complete.

For dinner, we always enjoy the new dehydrated meals.  Unlike their early predessors, these have good flavor and  decent textures.  Most need no cooking, and can be rehydrated right in the bag, making clean up very easy.  Because of the convenience of these meals, products like the JetBoil, an integrated stove and pot combination designed for the sole purpose of bringing two cups of water to a boil, are increasingly popular.  Adding hot water to dried fruit mix creates a tasty dessert much like fruit compote.  Hot drinks, like tea and cider, complete your evening meal.

autumn leaves

I really wanted to see how this red leaf would look on a black background. This is a scrub oak plant backlit by the afternoon sun. All the leaves and grasses really show off their fall colors when the sun is behind them.

No Name Creek, Glenwood Canyon

Running north from Glenwood Canyon and the Colorado River, the No Name Creek trail is a pleasant hike for a lazy autumn afternoon.

Don't hesitate to click www.flickr.com/photos/silbecl to see more of my work. The transition seasons are good times to try close-up work instead of the landscape photography I favor in the summer.

autumn near Marble CO

This is not the one I posted to flickr. That one was a horizontal orientation. I like verticals because of all the foreground they can include. While at the pond I saw some good foreground elements, but when reviewing my photos, they didn't make the cut. This one has the shallow rocks and a good amount of reflection.

This pond near Marble is a favorite subject of mine, and if you explore my blog, you'll find photos taken in all four seasons here. 

Snowmass Balloon Festival

Also not wilderness, this is one of few good photos I got from this year's balloon fest. The weather was a double-edged sword - it scared off most of the fliers (only eight balloons inflated Sunday morning, and one of those never left the ground), but the clouds made for more dramatic photos than a clear sky would have.

Even though we favor the backcountry and wilderness areas for our trips, once in a while it's nice to check out the things that most tourists see.  The Balloon Festival is especially appealing to photographers, because of all the big bright shapes.

early autumn morning in Colorado

This isn't the wilderness. It's a bend in the Crystal River about a mile from my home. It's one of my favorite places to wander around, in all seasons. The river was high last Saturday due to some recent rains, and this pool was fed by water flowing under the rocks.

That's Chair Mountain in the background.  Chair Mountain is part of the Raggeds, and the Raggeds Wilderness is one of many wilderness areas that are easily accessible from this part of Colorado.

Mormon Lake, Holy Cross Wilderness area

The hike to Lyle and Mormon Lakes is one of my favorites, despite only doing it twice. There are many opportunities to view the lakes from above, and complex shorelines with all sorts of interesting features that I incorporated into my photos.

We've done this as day hikes until now, but think that it would make a great backpacking trip, as there's so much to explore here.

This shot was taken on our way back to Lyle Lake.  As you can see, most of the wildflowers are gone now, and the amber and red hues of autumn are starting to dominate the scenery. 

Also in the Holy Cross Wilderness, like Savage, Carter, and Josephine Lakes, the trail to Lyle and Mormon lakes is on the way up to Hagerman Pass at the eastern end of the Frying Pan valley.

Josephine Lake, Holy Cross Wilderness area

On our way to the Savage/Carter loop last week, we passed a trailhead marked #1912. Checking the map, we found it led to Josephine Lake, a small oblong body of water surrounded on three sides by mountains. It was agreed this would be our next hike.

Like all the trails in the Holy Cross Wilderness area, Josephine Lake did not disappoint.  It was one of the more challenging day hikes, however, as there's quite a bit of elevation gain until you start descending to the lake.

We experienced just about all types of weather this day, the main reason to be prepared when hiking or backpacking in the mountains.  This photo was taken during a break in the rain, when sun bathed much of the area and helped the lake show off it's fantastic shades of green and blue.

Lower Savage Lake, Holy Cross Wilderness area

I couldn't stop at just one. This is the lower Savage Lake. Just about any view across the lake was nice. What I looked for as I walked around, were interesting foreground elements. Because the polarizer allowed me to cut through the glare of the water, I also liked shallow rocks.

The Holy Cross Wilderness Area has many great trails, and is accessible from both the Frying Pan Valley as well as the the Eagle River Valley.  As backcountry hiking goes, the trailheads east of Ruedi Reservoir give an explorer access to some of the most incredible scenery anywhere in the rocky mountains.

Upper Savage Lake, Holy Cross Wilderness area

A return to one of my favorite destinations allowed me to see the upper lake, and some of its features, from a different vantage. I love these rocks, and spent quite some time exploring how I could use them in the foreground of a landscape photo.

Savage Lakes (and the side spur to Carter Lake), in the Holy Cross Wilderness Area, make a better day hike than backpack trip.  The trail is not terribly challenging, and there are many places to explore at both lakes (as well as the "third lake," one of several ponds high above the upper lake).

Frying Pan Lakes, Hunter-Frying Pan Wilderness

I think this is one of my best photographs of the year.  We were having lunch a few feet from the upper Frying Pan Lake when I thought these rocks would make great foreground elements for a landscape photo.

The first time I did this hike was only four weeks ago. It's unusual for me to return to the same trail twice in a season, let alone so quickly. Despite the snow (on the trail and in the air), we got some good photos that first time up here. Still, we were determined to return soon and see what it was like with more green. We were not disappointed. The skies weren't too cooperative this time, but the wildflowers were in abundance, including more columbines than I had ever seen before.

I took many photos of the water (including several of fish and some partially submerged rocks), because the polarizing filter was doing such a good job of cutting through the surface glare. This landscape looked great on my pc, and I'm posting it here to see it with a black background.

petulant

Okay, this is neither a wildflower nor a shot from the backcountry.  This petunia was one of many on my deck that got drenched by the overnight rains.  I had to take my camera and tripod outside to photograph the flowers and grasses with all the fabulous water beads and droplets.

panoramic view

This panorama was stitched together in the newest version of photoshop.  I used three photos to get this view of approximately 150 degrees.

On the left side of the frame you can see the back of the Maroon Bells.  One of the most photographed icons in Colorado, most people aren't familiar with this view.

Click on the photo to see it larger.

Lead King Basin, Snowmass-Maroon Bells Wilderness

Lead King Basin is in the Snowmass/Maroon Bells wilderness area, and contains the headwaters of the Crystal River.

It's a great place for day-hikes and backpacking trips.  We camped near Arkansas Mountain, and could see for miles in nearly all directions.  The back of the Maroon Bells were to our east, while the snow-capped mountains to our south made a great backdrop for some of my photos.

The trails still have quite a bit of snow on them, especially above 10,000 feet and in shaded or north-facing areas.  The biggest challenges to hiking the backcountry this time of year are the stream crossings.  The water is high and fast - and very cold. 

approaching spring

Spring comes later to the mountains. A winter storm left snow frosting all the trees when I went out to take this photo. I really liked the wind-sculpted ridges in the snow.

The "mud season" is around the corner, but until then, great days like this are wonderful times to go for hikes in the snow.  The sun is getting pretty high in the sky now, and it feels much warmer than the thermometer would have you believe.