Upper Mill Creek Aspens
The afternoon autumn sun filters warmly into the Upper Mill Creek basin and begins to serenade the senses on the last day of September, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Stands of Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) fill in the chords perfectly.
Morning began auspiciously when I found a spot to photograph sunrise on the Divide with decent reflections in the lake on whose shores we had camped. The boys, one of their friends, and I backpacked a brief 2-day loop through the high-country of the Park. Over two days they climbed more than 2,000 feet between 9,000-11,000 ft elevation. They ate a great deal at lunch, and then talked incessantly about cars for hours. It was quite amusing actually, as I was completely distracted by the scenery and they seemed scarcely able to take it in. Maybe they've just normalized this kind of beauty since we see similar scenes every autumn. Or maybe they realize how lucky they are and one really shouldn't gawk at one's Mother, as I tend to... who can say?
I do want to put in a word of solidarity for the U.S. government employees, including Park Service employees, who are either working without pay right now, or are furloughed. These people perform vital functions, and are not being treated fairly by the most powerful government in the world. Bright vistas such as this should be a reminder to us all that the government can occasionally do wonders by truly acting in the public's interest. Private industry would not have managed the landscape of the Park for the enjoyment of all, and with an eye to wildlife. We must hold our elected officials accountable to the greater good.
Upper Mill Creek Aspens
The afternoon autumn sun filters warmly into the Upper Mill Creek basin and begins to serenade the senses on the last day of September, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Stands of Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) fill in the chords perfectly.
Morning began auspiciously when I found a spot to photograph sunrise on the Divide with decent reflections in the lake on whose shores we had camped. The boys, one of their friends, and I backpacked a brief 2-day loop through the high-country of the Park. Over two days they climbed more than 2,000 feet between 9,000-11,000 ft elevation. They ate a great deal at lunch, and then talked incessantly about cars for hours. It was quite amusing actually, as I was completely distracted by the scenery and they seemed scarcely able to take it in. Maybe they've just normalized this kind of beauty since we see similar scenes every autumn. Or maybe they realize how lucky they are and one really shouldn't gawk at one's Mother, as I tend to... who can say?
I do want to put in a word of solidarity for the U.S. government employees, including Park Service employees, who are either working without pay right now, or are furloughed. These people perform vital functions, and are not being treated fairly by the most powerful government in the world. Bright vistas such as this should be a reminder to us all that the government can occasionally do wonders by truly acting in the public's interest. Private industry would not have managed the landscape of the Park for the enjoyment of all, and with an eye to wildlife. We must hold our elected officials accountable to the greater good.