Impression Evergreen

Evergreen Lake summer During the summer, Evergreen Lake is a gleaming eden treasured by floating waterfowl, rainbow trout and the great blue heron. Below the dam, a bountiful garden of wildflowers bursts forth, displaying nature’s full color spectrum. The biggest draw is the plethora of birds that inhabit this area during the year’s warmest months. The lively reservoir is home to cormorants, geese, blackbirds, swallows, sparrows, hummingbirds, hawks and bald eagles.   The region’s wildest weather is funneled through Bear Creek Canyon so some of the most surreal clouds can be seen reflected on the surface of the lake. The forest creeps down to the water creating interesting compositions with branches shaped to follow the contour of Bergen Peak. The popular park is a place that has something to offer everyone so the usage gets pretty heavy. That’s why summer isn’t necessarily my favorite season - I like this place in the winter, after a storm, when the only noise is the sound of sile

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

Bergen Gulch Settled below the southern slopes of Bergen Peak, Bergen Gulch is a discreet wetland that supports flowers, birds and wildlife. This time of year the cattails are beginning to ripen and the lupine are in full bloom so blackbirds and elk engage in a territorial dispute over the bountiful land. Filling the discreet ravine, the large-leaved lupine are massive plants whose ladder-like blossoms climb towards the sky. The hungry wapiti are anything but gentle as they tromp through the purple field, consuming a huge swath in a single sitting. The little red-wings have fledged so while they’re learning to fly, their protective parents aggressively dive-bomb anyone who happens to wander into the area. The conglomeration of chickadees, juncos and nuthatches is small but noisy as the busy birds scour the ponderosa pine for anything edible. Branching off from Bergen Peak’s most beautiful side, the muddy drainage, depending on the season, varies from a trickle to a deluge. The sm

Summer light and shadows During this season, when the weather is warmer and the days are longer, the foothills landscape is defined by distinctive summer light and shadows. Evenings are particularly special because beams from the setting sun pilfer through cloud congregations, resulting in a rather dramatic effect. At dusk, the mountains turn blue and the trees in the meadow, before casting long shadows across the undulating field, are traced by a luminance that glows. Delicate wildflowers become translucent when their obscure niche is struck by the fading radiance. Sunsets at the lake are magnificent because now water, which reflects the glorious scenery, has been added into the equation, expanding your viewing pleasure. The peaceful ambiance becomes even more soothing when the rain settles in and, rather than induce melancholy, the muted atmosphere germinates solutions to perplexing problems. The blossom garden is bursting with optimism as the wind-blown flowers dance joyfully