Flower season

Last week was spent traversing the San Juan Mountains in search of this year's wildflowers. We started near Creede, backpacking into the La Garita Wilderness for an overnight stay at the Wheeler Geologic Area. From Creede we traveled to American Basin at the foot of Handies Peak for the traditional Columbine exhibition...we were not disappointed. Our last stop was in Gothic Colorado, home to the Rocky Mountain Biological Institute. WOW. Everything else paled in comparison to the flowers around Schofield Pass. Our route home then took us over Kebler Pass with another astounding display of this season's crop of wild flowers. The images that follow are just a small collection of pictures that really do not do the fields of flowers justice.

Mule's Ears

King's Crown

Larkspur

Sulphur flowers

Mountain Sunflower

La Garita Wilderness and Fran

Iris

Colorado Blue Columbine

Summer in the Rockies

Last week was spent visiting a few high country lakes. Most lakes above 12,000 are still frozen and there were a few snow fields that we had to climb to get high enough. It was a great time!

Fran in Porphyry Basin

Ed crossing that last stream in lower Ice Lake Basin

A few flowers on the trail

Climbing towards Hope Lake Pass

Lunch!