Aspens and First Snow

Yesterday Jim and I needed to make a trip to Denver. We left at 8:00 am and returned at 6 pm.  It had rained at our house Tuesday night. Fog was lifting from the Arkansas River and surrounding valley.

 

 

 

As we drove toward Leadville, we couldn’t see the mountains at all. Fog was lifting in town after a cold night–probably down to freezing.

 

 

 

Leaving Leadville, the vistas took our breath away.

 

 

 

 

We drove over Fremont Pass, the high point between Leadville and Copper Mountain.  Tawny autumn tundra gave a tweedy look to alpine crests.

 

 

 

 

On the downside of Fremont Pass, we entered Ten-Mile Canyon. It runs between Copper Mountain ski area and the town of Frisco. Walls in the canyon are steep, black granite, carved with avalanche shoots.

 

 

 

 

Flashes of aspen still clung to the sides. Since we were driving at 70 mph,
most of my pictures of aspen in the canyon were blurry. But as the canyon opened up near Frisco, I managed a few yellow leaf photos.

 

 

 

 

And then, the town of Dillon and the Blue River Valley looking very fallish. Everyone around here is excited to see rain and snow after a year of severe drought.

 

 

 

 

The remainder of our trip was less scenic. We dropped down into Denver, did our errands and appointments. One errand was to go to Mile Hi Ceramics for glaze supplies. I bought my kiln from this place so many years ago I would hate to tell you!  Jim and I are still using it—relined and refurbished. It still works.

♠

 

 

 

Toward evening, we returned over the same route. My last picture is from the top of Fremont Pass with more storm clouds brewing.

 

 

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