Impression Evergreen

Lower Bells Canyon Waterfall Blessed with untamed rivers, deep canyons and green mountains, the state of Utah is celebrated for its diverse scenery. Established on a painted desert, the topography transitions dramatically up to the lofty Wasatch Mountain Range. The winding waterways rush towards the southwest while carving surreal chasms out of an uplifted plateau. Heavily eroded by wind and water, the unique landscape is littered with an interesting array of arches, pinnacles and hoodoos. I enjoy wandering around our local foothills and I could spend a lifetime exploring the vast Rocky Mountains. I must admit, though, that the territory to our west has definitely cast a spell. Our home is Colorado but my second favorite state is magical Utah. San Rafael Swell Wasatch Mountains San Rafael Desert An untamed creek

Lower Square Top Lake Out of Georgetown up at the top of Guanella Pass there’s a faint trail heading west into the wilderness. Bushwhacking through muddy bogs and thickets of prickly willows, the alpine trek to Square Top Lakes is an uphill battle all the way. Stair-stepped into the ochre grassland, the cobalt reservoirs are a striking study in color contrast. Twilight softens the landscape and radiates onto the jagged peaks in the distance as passing clouds cast peculiar shadows across Mount Bierstadt and the Sawtooth Ridge. Spending an afternoon above tree line on a secluded thirteener is a precious experience. While tramping back across the tundra on a warm autumn evening, it’s obvious that the wealth of beauty amassed by these mountains can’t be measured in anything but gold. Sawtooth Ridge Peculiar shadows An ochre grassland A wealth of beauty

The Bay Window House Animas Forks is a rickety ghost town teetering high in the San Juan Mountains just east of Silverton, Colorado. It used to be a bustling community during the silver boom of the late 1800s but today only the miner’s spirit permeates the cool, mountain air. Pictured above is the best preserved building, an impressive residence known as The Bay Window House . Broken down and beaten after enduring years of nasty weather, the resilient structure rises defiantly out of a dense thicket of green willows. I can’t imagine how people lived up here all year long, extracting precious minerals from the generous earth. There’s no debate that they enjoyed breathtaking views of the surrounding peaks but struggling to survive the harsh winters must have been absolutely brutal. Cool mountain air The best preserved building An impressive residence Rising out of the willows High in the San Juan Mountains A miner's spirit A rickety ghost to

Alderfer Park A obscure trail in Alderfer Park descends into a quiet drainage called Coneflower Creek. It’s a fascinating experience wandering deep inside this lost valley where springtime has barely begun. Its banks crowded by stands of barren aspen, the shallow stream is slow moving because the big peaks that fill it are still locked in a fierce battle with snow and ice. Blending beautifully into the rocky mountainside, an abandoned homestead and its historical outbuildings are a tangible record of our region’s earliest settlers. It’s interesting to observe how the wildlife reacts to our sudden appearance. Mule deer are activated into a state of heightened alert and a cottontail becomes frozen solid while a downy woodpecker ignores our very existence. The gray clouds don’t mean snow but they do suggest the possibility of a dramatic weather effect. Almost every afternoon during the monsoon the sky unleashes a torrent of heavy rain, thunder and lightning. At the end of t

Kenosha Pass Recently, we explored three mountain passes that traverse the crest of a continent. It may be spring in the foothills but after a looping excursion through Colorado’s Front Range, we discovered that winter is still lingering in the high country. Kenosha Pass (10,000 feet) is a wide open space famous for its charming aspen grove and being bisected by the untamed Colorado Trail. The centerpiece of this grassy plateau has to be the sparkling blue lake that reflects the ring of white peaks that surrounds it. As it’s early spring here, the cool temperatures create persistent snow drifts that are scattered across the muddy earth. Kenosha Pass descends abruptly while forming the steep eastern boundary of the spectacular South Park meadow. Hoosier Pass (11,500 feet) is a narrow gateway to the town of Breckenridge renowned for its cluster of big mountains and rich mining history. The beautiful landscape is forested with a picturesque combination of subalpine fir and En