Top Ten Images from this Summer
It was incredibly difficult to pick ten photos from the many that we took this summer. But at last, almost two months after the summer ended, I have sifted through the hundreds of pictures and narrowed it down to what I believe are the top ten:
#10 Flowers on Mt. Evans
This photo was taken by Ella on our third trip of the summer as we descended from Mt. Evans. The Sawtooth Ridge, from Mt. Bierstadt to Mt. Evans, was one of the more fun and challenging routes of the summer.
The Holy Cross Wilderness was one of the most dramatic and impressive places we visited this summer. We had a wonderful experience here even though we were turned back from the summit by rain. This picture was taken in the morning as we attempted to climb the mountain. The clouds and gloom made for one amazing sunrise!
#8 Pondering the Apostles
People sometimes overlook Huron Peak. It is one of the lowest and easiest fourteeners. But Huron Peak has one of the best summits in the Sawatch. It was also the least crowded mountain we climbed all summer. This picture is taken from the top looking out towards the Three Apostles.
#7 Pine Creek Basin
Mt. Belford was another Sawatch favorite. Belford has a pristine approach hike, a good trail all the way to the summit, and a beautiful view (above) of the Pine Creek Basin from the summit. Emerald Peak (13,904') is the tallest peak in the foreground on the right side of the frame.
#6 Peering into the Depths
Snowmass Mountain was the grand finale of our summer. It was one of the most fun and challenging climbs of the summer. Ella took this picture of me at the top of a tricky, loose section of the East Slopes route as I watched our companions coming up behind us.
#5 Snowmass Mountain and the Fravert Basin
Taken on day two of our seven-day backpack, this was our first glimpse of Snowmass Mountain. We were standing on Frigid Air Pass (12,490') looking northeast into the Fravert Basin. The backside of Maroon Peak is just off camera to the right. The Fravert basin was lush with wildflowers and was one of the quietest places on the Four Pass Loop.
#4 Bear Lake and the Horn Fork Basin
The Horn Fork Basin is a rugged, dramatic place. Bear Lake hovers at 12,390'. This photo was taken as we climbed toward Mt. Harvard (14,420'). Mt. Harvard is one of my favorite Sawatch fourteeners.
#3 Maroon Lake
This is one of the most photographed spots in Colorado for a reason. The Maroon Bells are quintessential Colorado. This photo was taken at the very beginning of our week-long backpack trip.
#2 Snowmass Lake
Of the numerous pictures we had of Snowmass Lake any one of them could have made my top ten. It would be hard to take a bad picture of this place. But I decided to include only one, and this photo, taken by Ella on the last morning of our backpack trip (and therefore our summer), seemed to best capture this amazing place.
#1 Bighorn on Shavano
We didn't think we were going to get to climb Mt. Shavano. Thunderstorms popped and growled at regular intervals the day and night before we attempted Shavano. Despite the foreboding weather, we decided to take a chance the following morning and were rewarded with one of our most memorable days. Just above treeline we encountered a herd of bighorn ushering eight lambs down the mountain. It just so happened that their path down intersected with our path up, and we got to watch as this herd carefully guided their youngsters towards the bottom. The addition of the flowers and the fog from the previous rains makes this my favorite picture from the summer.
Honorable Mention
This was my next favorite photo of Snowmass Lake looking up at it from the creek.
This photo by Ella captures Colorado's state flower in unbelievable detail.
This photo was taken by Ella on our third trip of the summer as we descended from Mt. Evans. The Sawtooth Ridge, from Mt. Bierstadt to Mt. Evans, was one of the more fun and challenging routes of the summer.
