The Black Canyon of the Gunnison

I think we'll start coming here several times a year, as the spectacular views are so invigorating, and the challenge of capturing the majesty of the place in a photograph is calling us.

Today we hiked out to Exclamation Point, and got there around mid-day, when the sun was lighting the bottom of the canyon.  This may be a good late day hike, as the western sun might do the same thing.

The Crystal River Valley

Connecting Marble to Redstone to Carbondale, Colorado, the Crystal River Valley is one of the most scenic areas in Colorado.  A snowstorm last night gave everything a fresh white coating, and the parting clouds this morning stand out great against the blue sky.

The Colorado National Monument

West of Grand Junction, Colorado, the Colorado National Monument is a great example of desert landscape.  Canyons, mesas, cacti, lizards, sagebrush, juniper, and lots of great rocks greet visitors. 

Spring is "mud season" in the mountains, so we like hitting the desert this time of year.  The temperatures are near-perfect in April and May, and many plants are blooming. 

You should stay on the trail, so as not to disturb the fragile environment.  Cryptobiotic soil is fascinating but easily disturbed.  For this shot, I did leave the trail, walking up a wash a few yards.  There's no cryptobiotic soil in the bottom of a wash, because of the spring run-off, so I didn't have that worry.

The seasonal waterfall in the canyon south of Redstone, Colorado

Three miles south of Redstone, Colorado, in a narrow canyon, there's a seasonal waterfall that flows for just a few months each year.  When it flows, it can really gush.  It began late this year, last Friday, and the warm weather this weekend may help it reach peak quickly.

All around the Crystal River valley there are seasonal streams.  The run-off from melting snow is why they call this time of year the "mud season."  That's the season between ski season (or snowshoe season) and summer hiking season. 

This is a great time to head to the desert.  It's not nearly as hot there as it would be in the summer, and some cacti may be flowering.  We'll head to the canyons around Grand Junction next weekend, and I'll post photos of our hikes here.