Impression Evergreen

Bergen Park Trail The Bergen Park Trail is a distinct walkway that circumnavigated a very old swath of ponderosa pine forest. The giant trees blot out the sun but some especially resilient rays of light pierce the canopy of sharp needles. The subtle luminescence is responsible for the soft shadows that creep across the summer’s last tufts of tall grass. At the southern section of the green belt, the scenery opens up where a pair of little ponds reflects the scenic backdrop. This mild season seems eternal as there has been hardly a hint of the snow that normally adorns the landscape this time of year. We will wait anxiously for the first big storm that generates the winter weather to which we’ve become so accustomed. Bergen Park Circumnavigates old pine Ponds reflect the backdrop Mild season seems eternal Waiting for a storm

Founders Trail Stretching through the middle of Elk Meadow, a rugged pathway ascends gradually to the base of Bergen Peak. I don’t know for certain who founded the Founders Trail but I do know it’s a place where authentic beauty can be found. A dispersion of isolated pine trees acts as a gateway to a golden grassland tussled by autumn’s persistent breeze. The stoic guardians are important compositional elements adorning the foreground of fleeting snapshots. The easygoing excursion leads you through a mountain landscape steeped with ever-changing scenery. The tranquil passage exists as an understated niche, branching away quietly from the mainstream. Isolated pine trees A golden grassland A gateway A rugged pathway An understated niche Ever-changing scenery Bergen Peak Authentic beauty Branching away quietly

The cycle of life After this fall’s first snow, pleasant reflections of more comforting times wrestle with an overwrought mind. The former glory of a vivacious Elk Meadow and its adjacent woodland is now nothing but a bittersweet memory. The graceful grassland battled to the very end but eventually succumbed to powerful, natural forces beyond the season’s control. The unsuspecting landscape was swept into a futile murkiness by an icy gust determined to steal an innocent soul. The difficult trauma induced by such transitional change can only be overcome by the passage of precious time. The cycle of life is a callous certainty responsible for happiness and heartbreak but in either case we must possess the strength to carry on. Pleasant reflections Vivacious elk meadow Bittersweet memories An unsuspecting landscape Graceful grassland Transitional change The passage of time Happiness and heartbreak The cycle of life The strength to carry on

Dedisse Park The eastern most section of Dedisse Park is a sliver of lost wilderness overlooking the heart of Evergreen, Colorado. Picturesque reflections, mirrored in the sparkling blue reservoir below, circulate through the memories of all those who visit. A dense forest of mature pine is wrapped around the hillside offering tranquility and shade from the scorching, summer sun. This niche of paradise is little known even to locals who have inhabited the area for a long time. A steep ascent to the pinnacle of the park rewards the climber with astounding views of the surrounding foothills. As fleeting thoughts come and go, the crest of this rocky outcrop is the perfect place to focus on the clouds and clear a busy mind. A lost wilderness Sparkling blue reservoir Astounding views Little known to locals The heart of Evergreen A niche of paradise

Elk Ridge Secluded in Bergen Peak’s purple shadow, a writhing dirt path snakes it’s way through a tall grass meadow. From the wavy elk pasture, you can see Elk Ridge’s dark spine curve above a dense forest of ponderosa pine. The narrow crinkle of rocky trail is a scenic backbone that bridges the flatland with the big mountain’s steep slopes. This year an assortment of yellow wildflowers sprout from the rich turf, glittering like gold medallions in the summer sunlight. Tall, leaning trees testify to the power of strong wind gusts that blow intermittently across the open sections of the rugged buttress. Blue clouds churn overhead promising precipitation but the atmosphere is too hot so it doesn’t rain at all. From the summit of the natural crease in the land, the edges of pyramidal peaks in the distance are softened by a smokey haze. The current season is fleeting as during the lazy descent, departing bluebirds, turning aspen leaves and floating thistle seed hint at an early autumn. A

Evergreen Summer After enduring one of the coldest and snowiest spring seasons on record, it’s only natural that the start of this summer has been cool and wet. The continuous monsoon has been somewhat of a blessing as the parched foothills have suffered from a terrible drought that has lasted for several years. Streaming down from snow packed summits, Bear Creek is running high and fast as it has filled Evergreen Lake to the brim. There isn’t a more picturesque place in the state when the reservoir is permeated by a mixture of drizzled moisture, breaking clouds and fading light. When not shrouded in mist, Bergen Peak glistens with a sheen of fresh color that seems to give the mountain a supernatural glow. Thriving from the rainy weather, the lush, green meadows have experienced a profusion of wildflowers, songbirds and hungry elk. Finally emerging from a frozen darkness, the Renaissance of good fortune has transformed the landscape into a lively ecosystem. One of the things I ad