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Showing posts from September, 2017

Cub Creek Park - A Quaint Woodland

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Cub Creek Park Drifting down out of Brook Forest, Cub Creek is a docile stream graced with a friendly disposition. Cut through a quaint woodland, the usually lively stream has been constrained to a trickle this time of year. Sitting still in the crook of a wide s-curve, the shallow ravine is more like a reflecting pool than a restless torrent. The smooth pond of clear water mirrors the local arrangement with surprising clarity. A discreet canyon covered with towering pine and spruce encompasses the winding waterway. While wandering along the wide rim, the setting sun's warm rays penetrate the forest's dark interior. The quiet countryside is suffused with peaceful solitude so it's the perfect place to escape from a chaotic life. Adding to the ambiance, a solitary mule deer has secured a secluded break in the hillside where he grazes with a purpose. Wishing this belt of paradise would never end, the excursion concludes at the tributary's terminus where it joi

Founders Trail - A Gradual Transition

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Dispersing clouds over Bergen Peak On an early morning in Colorado's Front Range foothills, Founders Trail was blurred in a haze of smokey fog. Dawn broke dark and cold because the sun's warm rays struggled to reach the earth's shrouded surface. As the day progressed, a west wind was funneled through the pass, dispersing the clouds into tufts of transparent mist. The bleak atmosphere was fractured and translucent beams created a curious pattern of dark and light across the orange meadow. With the low-lying areas swept clean, only the mountains were embroiled in a tussle with overcast weather. Big peaks braced for action as they pierced the gray blanket while crowning a landscape reminiscent of the Lord of the Rings . Look closely and you'll see that Mother Nature is making slight changes that are fueled by the rhythm of shifting seasons. Autumn is approaching just as gradually as the last storm that has now receded. About the same time that the cyan sky bro

Pass Lakes - A Picture of Perfection

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Pass Lakes, Colorado The ascent begins in the foothills and gradually transforms into an alpine environment where only the strong can survive. Ultimately, the wide open wilderness emerges from a dense woodland called Arapaho National Forest. High on the Continental Divide, a trio of cobalt-colored lakes dot the tundra landscape. The shimmering, blue jewels are set in a spectacular, flower-filled basin just below the summit of Loveland Pass. Taking place above tree line, a ring of purple peaks towers over the scenic cirque. Fixed boulders have cascaded onto the plain in a random arrangement, forming a nice foreground for a picture of Colorado perfection. As beautiful as anywhere in the state, the convenient locale sits smack in the middle between bustling ski resorts. A persistent jaunt will lead you away from the pack and into a paradise of mountainous proportions. After spending such a glorious day so close to the sun, it's hard to imagine that in a couple of months t

The Old Stone House - A Crumbling Reminder

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The old, stone house Deep in the sandhills of western Nebraska, the old stone house is ruined. It's settled in a secluded valley, serving as a crumbling reminder of days gone by. One can only imagine what it must have been like during its heyday. Maybe a peaceful retreat far from the bustle of city life as the nearest town was across the river bridge some ten miles away. It was probably a difficult life dominated by the region's circulation of seasonal weather patterns. The summer sun was searing and the winter storms were brutal. Raising cattle was the only way to make a living with lush prairie grasses supplying the perfect subsistence for the grazing herd. A deep well was dug and capped with a windmill that poured precious water into a rock-hewn tank. Wooden planks and posts are scattered across the yard, indicating where the horses were once corralled. Out back in a ravine filled with purple wildflowers, a now rusted pickup would have been a more modern mode of

A Talk with the Woods - Learn How to Listen

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A Talk with the Woods “Go sit under a tree and listen and think.” ~ Walt Whitman This week's post is written by my uncle, Jerry Covault. Jerry is a retired United States Forest Service Ranger. During his 33 years spent working on National Forests in Oregon, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana, he has learned about the relationships between mountains, forests, soils, weather, fire, animals and people. Jerry shares some of his unique experiences in his new book "About Forests and People". He resolves to stimulate interest and curiosity about trees and forests and how people use them both through the ages and at present time. Jerry also discusses the problems our forests and environment have today and he suggests a few things that can help. The following essay by Jerry Covault is taken from his book "About Forests and People". A Talk with the Woods Fragment: From the Alfoxden Notebook (I) And never for each other shall we feel As we may feel, till we