Black Canyon Trail by Lumpy Ridge 7-31-22

My second hike was a little more challencing - the Black Canyon Trail by Lumpy Ridge. We went towards McGregor Falls with my friend Ken. We have been friends since we were 14 and went to camp together, over 70 years ago.

On the side is Lumpy Ridge where technical rock climbers practice. Ken says the one on the left is 'The Book".

When we get to  'The Pear' we turned left toward a hidden road which is covered with forbidding signs. The Pear is on the left.

The road  is on McGregor Ranch private property and we are soon back in the Park.

There is a small waterfall over a concrete abutment,

and a nice stream coming down from McGregor Falls.

We headed back to the trailhead. I was dreading the return into the hot sun.  Miraculously the weather shifted and we walked back though a cool light delightful rain. w

The view of the Front Range is always impressive.

Its great to have your legs start coming back.

Downhill for the First Day. 7-25-22

Several months ago I went on line to get some 'timed entry'  tickets for Rocky Mountain National Park. They have two varieties:one for the Bear Lake corridor and one for the rest of the park. You cannot enter the park without the ticket. I 'lost' three entry tickets because of Covid but I am finally 'back' sort of. I took my first hike out of Bear Lake.

Arriving at the kiosk 20 minutes early on my timed ticket I asked the Ranger."Are you firm or do I have to turn around?" "I'm firm", she said, "I'll see you in twenty minutes." So I turned around and joined eight other early birds who where also waiting. After the entry I drove to Park and Ride which has a shuttle bus to take you to Bear Lake. I was jammed into the second bus (I got the last place) and held onto the post and handles as we sardines finally arrived at Bear Lake. A little different from the old days when Frank Cheley had his camp on the right side of the Bear Lake trail in the 1930's. Everyone on the bus of hikers and tourists was quiet and kind. I was the only one of 50-60 with a mask.

I went up the trail towards Flattop Mountain, a gorgeous aspen lined trail. Within less than 3 minutes I was in the Silence. Everyone went to other trails. As it was the first day out I took my time up a little way and then it was downhill for the rest of the day to Bierstadt Lake and the trailhead.

It was a delightful walk through a forest of Ponderosa Pine. I saw only two hikers until I got to Bierstadt Lake.

There were no wildflowers in the dark of the forest. But there is always something of interest that shows up. This is an amanita mushroom.

Bierstadt Lake is not your classic alpine lake. It is more like a Wisconsin or Minnesota wetlands lake. But it was nice for lunch.

Descending to the trailhead we are in aspen again,

and flowers including Indian paintbrush and bell flowers.

 

 

 

 

The trail down is very steep but provides spectacular views.

The bus ride down to the car is much less crowded and takes less than ten minutes. In my car on the way down this fellow showed up. The image was taken from my drivers side seat. It is why I return.

A Walk After the Rain 7-23-22

I finally took a walk after our quarantine ended - on the Fish Creek Trail. I did not go far.

Here are some flowers after the rain.

 

This is my favorite color of yarrow (Achillea mulefolium).

Evening primrose (Oenethera biennia) in the morning.

Rocky Mountain Penstemon) (Penstemon strictus).

And a beautiful new one for me: Common Chicory

And an old friend: Sticky Geranium (Geranium viscossimum).

And lastly a familiar one from home: Blue flax (Linium lewissii)

 

 

It was good to be out.

Follow Up 7-22-22

We are in day 4 of our 5 day Covid isolation. We are gradually improving. Previously I showed you the view from our front deck.

We are on a ridge. Here is the view from our back deck.  Lake Estes is in the foreground and behind is Lumpy Ridge where you (not me) can do  technical rock climbing. At night the lights from The Lake Estes Resort shine beautifully on the water.

To the left of our deck through the trees is the famous Stanley Hotel. If you look closely you can see Jack Nicholson on the front porch.

"Even Flower Guys Get Covid" 7-21-22

We octogenarians are in Estes Park Colorado. The day after our arrival we both started having symptoms and the next day we tested  positive for Covid. We are isolating in our cabin - we have bread and water. We both had one miserable day and now we are both feeling some better. My doctor started me on Paxlovid, an anti-viral.

The alpine flowers are blooming but I cannot get to them. I haven't even put on my hiking boots yet.

Here is the view from our cabin:

That's Longs Peak on the right and Mount Meeker on the left.

Take a deep breath and be happy that we can.

A Break 7-13-22

Here are a few new bloomers as we take a brief break from the Heartland.

Here is one of many coneflowers (Echinacea augustifolia),

and a last lily,

and the start of the morning glorys (Ipomoea nil).

Flower for the Day Black Eyed Susan + 7-12-22

This has been a banner year for black-eyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta). 

We have several very healthy stands.

Also for a little bonus, in the corner was this red hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria) which has been with us in various areas of the garden for many years.

Flower for the Day Tiger Lily 7-11-22

These extraordinarily old tiger lilies (Lilium lancifolium) are growing abundantly. Jan purchased their 

predecessors in the early 1970's. Their showy presentation continues to impress.

Because they are so down facing they are difficult to photograph.

Don't get the brown pollen on your clothes. They will be permanently stained. 

Lilium lancifolium produces aerial bublets, known as bulbils, in the leaf axils. These bulbils are uncommon in Lilium species and they produce new plants that are clones of the original plant.

orange flower

has black of freckles

a tall tiger lily

  Bumblebee56

Flower for the Day Rattlesnake Master 7-9-22

Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium) is a perennial herb native to the tall grass prairies of the midwest. 

It grows up to six feet tall with dense ball-shaped umbels of flowers. Individual flowers in the umbels are small, 3–4 mm in diameter, with greenish-white or bluish-white petals and a faint honey-like scent. Underneath each flower is a spiny green bract, and underneath each flower cluster is a small star-like rosette of spiny bracts. 

Native Indians used the roots to treat rattlesnake bites. There is no indication in the literature that it worked.

Flower for the Day Common Mullein 7-7-22

Common mullein (Verbascum thapsus) is a hairy biennial which can grow to six feet tall. 

Its small, yellow flowers are densely grouped on a tall stem, which grows from a large rosette of leaves.

Pastoral

by Edna St Vincent Millay

 If it were only still!—  With far away the shrill  Crying of a cock;  Or the shaken bell  From a cow's throat  Moving through the bushes;  Or the soft shock  Of wizened apples falling  From an old tree  In a forgotten orchard  Upon the hilly rock!    Oh, grey hill,  Where the grazing herd  Licks the purple blossom,  Crops the spiky weed!  Oh, stony pasture,  Where the tall mullein  Stands up so sturdy  On its little seed!

Flower for the Day Oriental Lily 7-6-22

Finally the oriental lilies are showing up. So that the deer do not eat their tender buds they have been 

placed in the center of masses cone flowers and  black-eyed susans. The are taller than asiatic lilies and 

the blossoms are much larger.

Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not;

and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

  Luke 12:27

Flower for the Day Day Lily III 7-5-22

Despite feeding a herd of white tail deer a few day lilies managed to make it through, probably due to volume.

Here are the best of them.

And a few of the oldest which were here when we moved in in 1976.

     stretching wide open -

    colors of every shade,

    for every eye.

       Nikki