High Country Summer

Colorado Hwy. 145 near Lizard Head Pass

It was the end of June, and I had not been back up into the southwest Colorado high country in over a month.

Up the Dolores river valley from the quaint and historic river town of Dolores on Highway 145. Up past the hamlet of Stoner, and Rico, my favorite mountain town. But I could not stop there, as I had a long way to go.

Lizard Head Pass, late June.

The aspen forests high above were in full greenery, as were the alpine tundra fields above them, even if only slightly less so. Shades of green against blue mountains, and skies.

Lizard Head Peak, from the Pass.

And before long I was back up at Lizard Head Pass. The snowfields above timberline had been melting rapidly. The uppermost reaches of the streams were losing their turbidity (muddy-ness) after the high water mark of spring runoff of the snowfields in the surrounding mountains.

I settled into a campsite. A "dispersed campsite", meaning it was just a spot on the National Forest. No facilities, just me and nature. There was a well used fire ring there, but I had no desire for a campfire.

I began to look around at the wildflowers.

Then some deer walked almost right through my camp. Alert but relatively unconcerned, they know when it's hunting season and when it's not.

See more of my photography at www.NaturalMoment.com.

© Copyright 2017 Stephen J. Krieg

Cloud Light, Flagstaff, Arizona

Clouds lit up by the bright Arizona sunlight. Clouds blocking the sun, creating ephemeral shadows on the mountain slopes.

San Francisco Peaks, northern Arizona.

Northern Arizona Monsoon Season Approaches

Thunderhead cloud and Ponderosa pines, Flagstaff, Arizona

It's monsoon thunderstorm season here in northern Arizona, but with it being a La Nina weather pattern year, it's still dry. Far too dry. Extreme forest fires danger, but so far nothing like what's happened recently on the Colorado Front Range. 

This week there has at least been enough moisture inland from the Pacific Ocean to return some cumulus clouds, thunderheads, and very widely scattered showers. I love the clear blue Arizona sky, but cumulus clouds and t-heads accent it so beautifully.

Flagstaff, Arizona (where 85F is "hot").