Tag Archives: summit lake

Photo of the Week – June 27, 2014

Posted on by
15

A selection of photos from a prairie ecologist’s family vacation in the mountains of Colorado…

Rocky mountain stream.

A rocky mountain stream not far from the door of the cabin we stayed in last week.  South of Idaho Springs, Colorado.

.

Slow shutterspeed

Since I don’t see fast flowing water (or rocks) very often in my part of Nebraska, I don’t often get to play with the old photography trick of using a slow shutterspeed to show the movement of the water.

.

slow shutterspeed again

I spent way more time than I should have on the slow-shutterspeed-trick…

.

Where the snow is coming from...

We got to climb high enough to see the melting snow that was feeding all those streams.  It was fun to think about the fact that the snow melt we were looking at would be flowing right past us in the Platte River when we got home.  Hell’s Hole Trail.

.

Boys and I climbed up a ridge one evening.

One evening, the boys and I climbed up a ridge near our cabin just because it was there.

.

John thinks he's funny

John thought it was funny to pretend he was clinging to the edge of a cliff.  (His feet are solidly on the rocks below.)

.

Favorite part of mountains are above the tree line.

My favorite parts of the mountains are above treeline where I don’t feel so closed in.  Chief Mountain.

.

Dan also likes

Daniel (and his brother) lobbied hard to climb Chief Mountain, even though we’d done the same hike only a year before.  The scenery WAS very nice…

.

Bristlecone pine

Bristlecone pines are found only at very high elevations.  Both the live and dead ones are very picturesque.

.

Summit lake near Mount Evans.

One cool evening, we dodged some light showers and took a short uphill hike from Summit lake near Mount Evans.  The scenery was enough to take your breath away – though the 13,000 foot elevation helped with that as well…  

.

Mount Evans and Summit Lake.

A  panoramic view of Mount Evans and Summit Lake from the trail.

.

Douglas fir cone.

Of course, despite the gorgeous scenery, many of my  favorite photos from the trip were close-ups.  Just as in prairies, close-up photography helps me see details I would otherwise have missed.  For example, did you know Douglas fir cone had these funny little trident-like appendages on them?

.

Colorado spruce

A close-up of Colorado spruce needles.

.

Venus's slipper orchid, aka Fairly slipper orchid (Calypso bulbosa).

Venus’s slipper orchid, aka Fairly slipper orchid (Calypso bulbosa).  My wife found several of these near our cabin.  After I photographed one, I looked it up in one of the field guides in the cabin.  My favorite quote from the guide was: “Although one of our smallest orchids, Venus’s slipper is the most exquisite, as well as the most elusive.”

It was great to spend a week in cooler weather and see some different landscapes, and I really enjoyed the concentrated time with my family.  Pine and spruce woodlands are very pretty, though the alpine meadows above them were certainly my favorites.  I can see how some people really enjoy living in the mountains.  However, while I like short trips to the mountains, I am always glad to get back home to the wide open landscape of the Nebraska prairie.

Photo of the Week – July 25, 2013

Posted on by
14

I just got home from a week-long family vacation to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.  It was a welcome respite from the heat and humidity of the prairies here in Nebraska, but it’s good to be home again.  Since my week was all about mountains, I guess I’ll just share my vacation photos with you…  I’ll get back to discussing prairies next week!

.

I appreciate the woodland areas of the mountains, but always feel a little closed in when I'm in them. I like to see the sky...

I appreciate the woodland areas of the mountains, but always feel a little closed in when I’m in them. I really like to see the sky…

.

We rented a cabin south of Idaho Springs, Colorado for our vacation week. The highlight of the cabin was the beautiful stream that flowed nearby.

We rented a cabin south of Idaho Springs, Colorado for our vacation week. The highlight of the cabin was the beautiful stream that flowed nearby.

.

After a day of short hiking to acclimate to the altitude, we took a longer hike on the Arapaho Pass trail near Nederland, Colorado. The wildflowers in the meadows were fantastic, and made a prairie ecologist feel at home.

After giving ourselves a day to adjust to the altitude, we took a long hike on the Arapaho Pass Trail near Nederland, Colorado. The wildflowers in the meadows were fantastic, and made a prairie ecologist feel at home.

.

I know the plant species in my prairies really well, and can often identify at least 50-75% of the plants I see in other prairies in the central U.S. However, in the sub-alpine and alpine meadows of the Rockies, I'm lucky to guess the genus correctly... For example, I know this red flower is a Castilleja species (Indian paintbrush) but don't know which species it is.

I know the plant species in my prairies really well, and can often identify at least 50-75% of the plants I see in other prairies in the central U.S. However, in the sub-alpine and alpine meadows of the Rockies, I’m lucky to guess the genus correctly… For example, I know this red flower is a Castilleja species (Indian paintbrush) but don’t know which species it is.

.

Above treeline on the Arapaho Pass trail there were some very cold, but very pretty streams winding through the sparse rocky landscape.

Above treeline on the Arapaho Pass trail there were some very cold, but very pretty streams winding through the sparse rocky landscape.

.

My son John hikes the trail toward Arapaho Pass.

My son John hikes the trail toward Arapaho Pass.

.

My daughter Anna had to hold on to her hat when we finally reached the top of the Pass. The wind coming across the Continental Divide was enough to knock us over.

My daughter Anna had to hold on to her hat when we finally reached the top of the Pass. The wind coming across the Continental Divide was enough to knock us over.  (Official elevation = 11,907 ft)

.

One morning, I took a short steep hike to the top of a nearby ridge to catch the morning light.

One morning, I took a short steep hike to the top of a nearby ridge to catch the morning light.  I needed to get out of the trees and up into the sunshine…

.

At the top of the ridge, there were several least chipmunks running around among the rocks. I sat and watched them for a little while and managed to get a few photos as they sat in the sunshine to eat.

At the top of the ridge, there were several least chipmunks running around among the rocks. I sat and watched them for a little while and managed to get a few photos as they sat in the sunshine to eat.

.

We drove up to the top of the 14,000 foot Mount Evans one afternoon. This photo shows the aptly named Lake Abyss below.

We drove up to the top of the 14,000 foot Mount Evans one afternoon. This photo shows the aptly named Lake Abyss below.

.

On the lower slopes of Mount Evans, we saw a group of bighorn sheep grazing in a meadow.

On the lower slopes of Mount Evans, we saw a group of shaggy bighorn sheep grazing in a meadow.

.

On the way back from the top of Mount Evans, we stopped at Summit Lake and hiked a little way up the steep trail toward Mount Spalding.

On the way back from the top of Mount Evans, we stopped at Summit Lake and hiked a little way up the steep trail toward Mount Spalding.

.

From the trail to Mount Spalding, we had numerous spectacular views of the Chicago Lakes below.

From the trail to Mount Spalding, we had numerous spectacular views of the Chicago Lakes below.

.

On our last hike of the trip, we took a one hour climb to the top of Chief Mountain to enjoy the panoramic views from the top.

On our last hike of the trip, we took a one hour climb up Chief Mountain to enjoy the panoramic views from the top.

.

As someone who spends a lot of time admiring the toughness of prairie plants and animals, I could easily appreciate the ability of species to eke out a living among the rocks at high altitude.

As someone who spends a lot of time admiring the toughness of prairie plants and animals, I could easily appreciate the ability of species to eke out a living among the rocks at high altitude.  (Chief Mountain)

.

Though our cabin was nestled among the trees on the side of a mountain, we did have a nice open view to the north - something I was very glad for. It was a great week, but it's really nice to be down in the prairies again.

Though our cabin was nestled among the trees on the side of a mountain, we did have a nice open view of the sky to the north – something I was very glad for. It was a great week, but it’s really nice to be down in the prairies again.