Living – Places: 9
2012 (continued) - 2013
The reservoir was down this summer more than I've ever seen it, so it's great to see that our recent rains and snows have already restored it to full capacity, as evidenced by this double waterfall below the spillway.
Our favorite lunch spot was occupied by someone fishing, so we went on a bit further and then spied this unique rock outcropping.
It was a wonderful little spot to enjoy lunch, look out at the water, and soak up some sun.
The view along the shoreline from our lunch spot.
I love the way the pale green lichen opens to reveal the softest peach insides.
Beautiful reflections at a bend in the river where a large pool is formed.
Two weeks ago we visited a quiet little cove on the south side of the reservoir.
A week ago, we hiked up a new trail that Garima had found, and this was where we stopped for lunch.
Today, we decided to revisit a rock outcropping view point we last hiked up to perhaps 10 years ago. You can see it up the hill here from where we began our hike, but to get to it, we had to hike upriver to a crossing, then uphill to the outcropping.
Up on the outcropping, looking east along the North St. Vrain river and out towards Lyons and Longmont. The little reservoir is where I took the first photo in this series from.
Looking south from our perch. We often hike in the area where those open fields are (from when it used to be a ranch), and in the hills beyond.
Love this rock formation.
Looking west, with the Continental Divide off in the distance.
Looking northwest, with Mount Meeker and Longs Peak in the distance. The source of the North St. Vrain river is in Wild Basin, which is on the south (left in this photo) side of Mount Meeker, a place we often go hiking.
Looking down on another beautiful rock outcropping.
Getting ready to head back down.
The now-frozen Mills Lake from the north end, looking south toward the head of the gorge. This is where we sat for lunch.
After lunch, we hiked around Mills Lake and on to Jewel Lake. This was the view when we returned to Mills Lake, looking north.
Ah, our beautiful world!
Motion in stillness.
Traces of a gentle dance.
Degrees of reflection.
It was about 10 F (-12 C) when I arrived home this evening, yet I couldn't stop just standing there in awe as the bright and very large moon rose slowly over the ridge top. "In reality, from the top of the ladder, standing erect on the last rung, you could just touch the Moon if you held your arms up." The Distance of the Moon by Italo Calvino.
Fresh air, silent forest.
Yeah, I was happy.
2013
It looks like ice shelves formed around the rocks when the water was running a bit higher.
No argument with this.
A stroll on the ice flow.
Arrested motion.
The patterns in the ice were fascinating.
A long ice tunnel snaked along the shoreline.
The next three photos are a series of delicately beautiful ice formations over a little tributary of the St. Vrain river.
