I hiked up Mt. Royal above Frisco, Colorado last weekend. It was a gorgeous day, but there was still a lot of snow on the trail. There were great views of the Blue River Valley, the Gore Range and the Williams Fork Range and you can see the steep drop to I-70 below as it cuts through Ten Mile Canyon.
An early winter scene in the Gore Range, Colorado.
A full moon sets on the Gore Range as a rising sun illuminates some of its crags.
Summit County, Colorado.
The storm clouds of winter are gathering and snow is moving into the Colorado Rockies today. The snow line was down to about the 9000’ level.
Near Silverthorne, Colorado.
The above photo was taken this past weekend along the upper Colorado River Basin near the Gore Range in Colorado. The area was burned over by a wildfire a few years back. There are many blackened stumps, and this lone, charred tree remains as a reminder to the event.
Wildfires are traumatic, but it always amazes me what happens shortly after they are over. The ground receives more sunlight and there is less competition for the precipitation that soaks into the ground. Wildflowers and grasses start to bloom. Usually the first wildflower to appear is attractive pinkish-magenta Fireweed (above) – thus its name. Then other wildflowers and grasses are added to the mix creating beauty where only blackened ground had been a short time before. Nature starts over, and it does it in a dramatic and beautiful way!
A mountain of dandelions. From this past weekend in the Blue River Valley and the Gore Range of Colorado.
Snowmelt in the mountains creates impromptu runoff channels across fields in Colorado’s Blue River Valley.
The aspens are leafing out in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and their brightly-colored spring growth is easy to spot. Above, an aspen- and wildfower-covered hillside in the Gore Range is resplendent with the colors of the season.
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Late-season sunrise snowstorm over the Gore Range — from last weekend in Colorado and The Rocky Mountains. Sorry, I’ll try to stop these winter-like photos ASAP, but I do need a little cooperation from Mother Nature.
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Sticky May snow thick-coats a barbed wire fence and branches in Colorado’s Gore Range.
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Snow squalls, glimpses of sunlight, and wind play with the high mountain ridges in the Rocky Mountain’s Gore Range. Buffalo Mountain (12,777’) near Dillon, Colorado.
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Mountain moonset in the Gore Range of Colorado.
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Another pre-dawn photo, in monochrome, from the full moon setting yesterday morning. The mountain to the left is Buffalo Mountain (12,777’) and on the right is Red Peak (13,189’). They are part of Colorado’s Gore Range.
Pettitte
May 13, 2012
photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
Return of Ice Age - Vatnjökull, Iceland (by orvaratli)
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Late-season sunrise snowstorm over the Gore Range — from last weekend in Colorado and The Rocky Mountains. Sorry, I’ll try to stop these winter-like photos ASAP, but I do need a little cooperation from Mother Nature.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l2r5r6ciXb1qz86pko1_500.jpg)
![[Click photo to enlarge]
Sticky May snow thick-coats a barbed wire fence and branches in Colorado’s Gore Range.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l2iiomD7Dk1qz86pko1_500.jpg)
![[Click photo to enlarge]
Snow squalls, glimpses of sunlight, and wind play with the high mountain ridges in the Rocky Mountain’s Gore Range. Buffalo Mountain (12,777’) near Dillon, Colorado.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l09107Ra6m1qz86pko1_r2_500.jpg)
![[Click photo to enlarge]
Mountain moonset in the Gore Range of Colorado.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kylvd6VuvY1qz86pko1_500.jpg)
![[Click photo to enlarge]
Another pre-dawn photo, in monochrome, from the full moon setting yesterday morning. The mountain to the left is Buffalo Mountain (12,777’) and on the right is Red Peak (13,189’). They are part of Colorado’s Gore Range.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kx3ecrKJou1qz86pko1_500.jpg)
