the beauty here never ceases to amaze me (pics)

[fizzgig]

we're in steamboat this weekend and it's just blowing me away.

cameron pass





this morning



our hike







we drove through part of the high park fire burn area on the way up. it seems so long ago, but it's barely been any time in terms of wildfire recovery.

[Evergreen Emerald]

1. Beautiful

I love the third shot with the pasture in the foreground. How pretty.

[fizzgig]

4. the view here is amazing

that's facing east and i'm trying to talk myself into getting up for the sunrise tomorrow just for the pics. let's see if i'm willing to actually endure that pain for my art.

[calimary]

2. Gosh, fizzgig, these are pretty shots!

Even the last one - in its barrenness there is a stark beauty.

[fizzgig]

5. this is what it looked like a few months after the fire

it is beautiful in it's own way, but my heart breaks every time we make that drive.

[calimary]

8. I know how you feel. Lots of burnt-out turf around SoCal. Otherwise lush and beautiful mountain

forests - all burned. All burned away. Looks like some napalm plague roared through there. Very stark. To see it hurts the heart.

Btw - photos like #4 are what heal the heart for me.

[El Supremo]

3. You're nuts.

[fizzgig]

6. i really considered cancelling the trip

but it was my birthday, dammit, and i'm a stubborn ass. my dad told me to cut up through laramie rather than take 14 the whole way through because the river is so high (and i know rabbit ears and cameron are going to be a disaster), but i don't know how much better the other way is going to be.

oh well, i packed for the possibility of spending an extra night here and i'll do it if we need to.

[kaiden]

7. The Front Range has it all going on today.

Winter Storm warning/flash flood warning and for good measure, a tornado watch. Good times!

[locks]

9. Thank you

I never get tired of amazing Colorado even after all these years. I remember how I cried after the 1976 Big Thompson flood. And at Trappers Lake after the big fire. And all the way to Glenwood the first time I saw all the red trees from the beetle destruction. And then all the trees gone from one of my favorite campgrounds over Trail Ridge to Grand Lake. And still sometimes up to Lyons and Estes and the Park after the "thousand year flood". But mostly now I just try to enjoy and be grateful for the many Coloradans who are trying to restore and preserve all this beauty for our grandchildren.

[SoapBox]

10. Nice pics.

Thanks for sharing.

[lovemydog]

11. Gorgeous. The Rockies are so beautiful.