Seasonal streams and falls will run high and fast this year

Hikers and backpackers in the Colorado mountains should expect more snow and tricky stream crossings this year.  Near-record snowpack at the upper elevations is going to take longer to melt and will add much more water to the run-off that feeds seasonal streams and waterfalls like the one pictured above.

This seasonal waterfall begins flowing in March and dries up in June each year.  At its peak in May, it's really gushing as it flows into the Crystal River south of Redstone, Colorado.

hidden falls

I call this the "hidden waterfall" because it's relatively unknown to most people in the area.  I lived here for eight years before exploring a trail by which I drove almost daily.  It's also a seasonal waterfall, fed by spring melt-off, and flows just a few weeks each year.  It's hard to capture in a photo, but that tiny sliver of water at the top of the frame is nearly a hundred feet above me.