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Trail of purple Rhododendron at the Hicks Nurseries Flower & Garden Show in Westbury, New York (NY), United States (USA). #longisland #newyork #usa #flowers
Kelsey Spring Trail
2009-04-29: With most of the roads open around Flagstaff and a warm day in store, we decided to hike one of the Sycamore Canyon Wilderness trails. We grabbed Deb Lauman and headed down Woody Mountain Road. Skimming Flagstaff Hikes
and the Sycamore Canyon Wilderness map, we decided to hike Kelsey Trail, which offered the potential for wildflowers according to Flagstaff Hikes. Flagstaff Hikes (5th edition) refers to Kelsey Trail #3 as Kelsey Spring Trail (from the trailhead to the spring) and Kelsey-Winter Cabin Trail (from the Kelsey Spring to Dorsey Spring). The trail sign at the trailhead is labeled Kelsey Winter Trail, and other trail signs are marked Kelsey Tr. No. 3. Additionally, the book refers to Little LO Trail as Geronimo Spring Trail. I haven't looked at the 6th edition of the book yet, which includes 97 trails (the 5th edition lists 146), so I can't speak to the differences between the two editions.
From Kelsey Trailhead and early on in the trail there are great views of Sycamore Canyon. A beaten path heads along the rim of the canyon, heading left from the parking area. We headed down the trail, which dives quickly into the canyon through gorgeous ponderosa pine forest. The trail is well maintained and well marked with signs at the springs and trail junctions. There is evidence of very old tree blazes marking the trail, but these are no longer necessary to follow the trail. Kelsey Spring is approximately 0.5 mile from the trailhead. A pipe from the spring feeds a water trough. The spring was running, and bees and butterflies were flitting around the wet, marshy area surrounding the spring, and the wild flags were beginning to bloom.
Around 1.2 mile from the trailhead is a second spring, Babe's Hole Spring. Based on the map, it's approximately a 700' elevation drop from the trailhead to Babe's Hole Spring. The spring is marked with a sign, and theres a covered stone well protecting the spring. There appear to be irises growing here, but none were blooming yet. The spring was running. Another 0.10 mile from Babe's Hole is the junction of Kelsey and Little L O Trails. Little L O continues another 0.75 mile to bottom of Sycamore Canyon. Hoping for more views, we decided to continue along Kelsey Trail, which runs along the side of the canyon. We stopped at the top of the first rise and ate lunch in the remains of an old campsite.
The New Camera
This was my second real use of my new Pentax K20D. On the first hike using the camera, I'd shot photos in JPEG format, and was fairly pleased with the results. After a few more experiments at home, I decided for this hike to try shooting photos in RAW format instead of JPEG, and was incredibly pleased at the dynamic range I had to work with, collecting images nearly as good as generated HDRs (but without all the work of generating the HDRs). I took a few exposure bracketed shots using my Gorillapod tripod and the camera's wireless remote, and was simply thrilled (my last camera, annoyingly, didn't have a remote).
Once at home, I pulled the RAW photos off the camera and started trying to figure out how to work with them. With my previous cameras, I'd been shooting JPEGs and using a combination of Picasa, Microsoft Pro Photo Tools, Autopano Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Image Composite Editor, and Photomatix. However, if I want to continue shooting in RAW (Pentax PEF) format, I need to adjust my workflow a bit. While Picasa can read the raw files, it simply doesn't have the processing tools to create a decent final JPEG product for the web, printing, etc. Currently, I'm still struggling with the workflow, mainly with issues related to editing the metadata and problems with metadata and geotags being read correctly by some of the software packages. As I write this, the metadata in Gallery are pretty messed up, but I haven't determined if there's something wrong with the files, the Picasa export, or Gallery's import of the images. Picasa doesn't seem to be picking up metadata and geotags correctly where the image files have the full blown camera metadata. I may have to drop Picasa and use an alternative upload tool for Gallery.
@schussman recommended Adobe Lightroom, so I downloaded the 30-day trial and used it to process most of the photos from this hike. I really liked Lightroom's processing tools, which make it pretty easy to apply the same processing settings to multiple photos, and therefore, allow me to process a group of images quickly and get them out to the web. It keeps a really good history of all the processing steps for image, and the RAW image itself isn't changed, so I can go back as many times as I want to tweak the processing settings. Lightroom has a nice directory browser (which will also show the contents of subdirectories), and the ability to create catalogs and collections (I didn't play with that). There's also a full metadata editor, a few gallery building options, a fairly powerful batch exporter, and I think there's ways to manage the workflow between Lightroom and Photoshop (I haven't played with that yet either). I don't know if I want to pay the $300 price tag for Lightroom, but I'll keep using it until the trial's up... perhaps I'll fall in love, and won't mind shelling out the cash. The camera came with similar software from Pentax, which I also intend to try out.
Royal Saudi Air Force C-130 Hercules '1624' streams a con-trail as she crosses the South coast tracking a Danish registered Dassault Falcon 7X towards France and beyond.
The 'Herc' was in support of the Saudi Green Flag exercise which had just finished up at RAF Coningsby and this bird and a couple of others had arrived there via East Midlands Airport to take all their support gear home.
Their two A330MRTT Tankers went from RAF Brize Norton and routed out across the Isle of Wight - too far west to be seen from my vantage point with the four Tornados and four Typhoons trailing them on their run back to Saudi.
(Serial tie-up courtesy of SE OTT and others).
The Parc National La Visite was set up as a national park in 1983 and contains one of the few (protected) forests of pines. The park, southeast of Port-au-Prince and close to the border with the Dominican Republic, provides beautiful views of the Massif de la Selle range. The trail between Furcy and Seguin is very steep and, given the altitude, provides a good workout. Only some 22 km from the capital, the park is one of the few ecotourism sites mentioned in the guidebooks, but I met not a single traveller during my ascent or in my explorations of the area. It was only as I hiked back down that I met another solitary foreign hiker. A highlight of the hike is that the trail is used by locals bringing food to market, predominantly women, or offering jolting, careening motorbike taxis, predominantly young men. I was greeted warmly and with some amusement (it was clearly illogical of me to walk when there were motorbikes on offer and when I was sweating enough for ten).
The trail is hard and uneven, unforgiving on footwear: and this led me to this project...
after some test shots, got the position of the north pole star and finally got a Star Trail click :)
Bell Trail is very popular with hikers and anglers who come to enjoy the solitude and other rewards offered by a clear cool stream flowing through a scenic desert canyon. Wet Beaver Canyon is one of four major canyons that cut Coconino National Forest's red rock rim country.
Most of the canyon falls within the Wet Beaver Wilderness. Wilderness areas are rare, wild places set aside by U.S. Congress where the land is allowed to retain its natural state, serving as a natural haven for humans to escape civilization. To help minimize human impacts in Wilderness areas, motorized and mechanized equipment are strictly prohibited by law, including bicycles, strollers, carts, remote control aircraft, and drones.
For the most part, the trail follows a route along a bench well above the streambed. A number of side trails, lead down to the waterside and indicate the location of good swimming holes or popular fishing spots. As the trail wanders deeper into the canyon, it leaves the canyon bottom to wind high along an escarpment of red sandstone and offer scenic views of the riparian area, the canyon and the surrounding mountains and valleys, before dropping back down to the stream at Bell Crossing.
Most people who come to this trail hike only the first 3.3 miles to Bell Crossing, taking advantage any one of several access paths that branch off the main trail and lead down to the stream. After crossing the Wet Beaver Creek, the Bell Trail climbs the canyon's south wall to a high, grassy plateau where it winds through pinyon juniper stands and open grasslands offering views that stretch all the way to the Sedona Red Rocks Country and the San Francisco Peaks. Eleven miles from the trailhead at Beaver Creek, Bell Trail ends at Forest Road 214.
Like many of our fragile riparian areas along creeks and rivers, the area is day-use only. Camping and campfires are prohibited along much of Wet Beaver Creek to help minimize damage to the soil and vegetation, reduce disturbances to wildlife, and prevent pollution of the clean, clear water of the creek. Wet Beaver Creek flows into the Verde River, a critical water source for many cities and communities in Arizona.
This trip was in early spring when the trees were just beginning to leaf out and snowmelt from a heavy winter was clouding the creek. Photo taken March 2017 by Deborah Lee Soltesz. Source: U.S. Forest Service, Coconino National Forest. Visit Bell Trail No. 13 and Coconino National Forest for more information.
This is a level part of the trail to the top of Shannon Falls in Squamish. Most of the trail could be considered a 400 meter stair master.
BLM photo: Joel Brumm
If you're looking to get into some rugged Oregon backcountry, check out the Lone Pilot Trail in the Soda Mountain Wilderness.
The 11.9-mile trail wanders through the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in southwest Oregon -- an ecological mosaic where the state's eastern desert meets towering fir forests.
Starting at the Pilot Rock Trailhead, hikers can connect with the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail to complete a 17-mile backpacking loop on the Lone Pilot Trail.
Come prepared and carry some extra water -- there are limited water sources along the Lone Pilot Trail, with the East Fork of Hutton Creek and Scotch Creek being the only perennial water sources. In the spring, there may be additional ephemeral streams along the trail.
The trail is best hiked in spring and fall, as its typically snow-free from May to October.
See you out there!
📍 Visit the Soda Mountain Wilderness: on.doi.gov/3eXTXZj
❓ Questions? Ask the Medford District: on.doi.gov/395hVQ2
Directions: I-5 South to Exit 6 (Jct with Old Hwy 99). Follow Old Hwy 99 for 2 miles south to Pilot Rock Rd (40-2E-33) on left. Follow Pilot Rock Rd (staying left) to Pilot Rock Trailhead.
Star Trails: Canon EOS Rebel XS, 35 minute exposure on a tripod facing north, ISO 100, f8.6, bulb shutter, Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens. Processed in Photoshop. This was shot near Houston and the light pollution and haze make star gazing a frustrating experience. I wish I was in the Hill Country for a shot like this. Polaris (North Star) is lower right.
Star trail in Hoyo de Manzanares, Madrid. Using Live Composite, straight from camera, 45 photos of 60 secs, f8, ISO 400
In April 2013 we hauled our canoe and tent over to Merchants Millpond State Park and enjoyed some very fine camping and paddling.
One day we paddled east through the millpond, through Lassiter swamp and up Bennett's Creek for about two miles before turning around. The high water this year made the paddle up Bennett's Creek a record setter, beating by far (almost a mile I reckon) our previous attempts. Highlights were lunching on an old, now flatten, beaver lodge and spotting a yellow-crowned night heron.
The next day we put in for the first time at the Gatesville dock/ramp and paddled up the Bennett's Creek Paddle Trail to the Merchants Millpond dam and back. Another great paddle with many beaver lodges, jumping fish, and another great lunch at the turn-around. This paddle trail also has a couple of platforms for canoe-camping.
In the map above, the first paddle is the *green* line; the second the *red* line. Our campsite is circled in *yellow* and the *orange* X marks our favorite lunch spot.
I have found that selective color and light trails work well, so here is another one for you! Here and here are my earlier shots with selective coloring and light trails.
I feel that I have to give some of the credit for this picture to xyking, as the idea to photograph a roundabout at night was his.
Feel free to stop by the rest of my photos, or you can see the ones I like.
Sigma 10-20mm
This was taken from a 1976 slide. We were hiking a trail in the White Mountains near Franconia Notch.
We've definitely got the consist in the wrong order here with the original NS unit second out, as 286 eases through downtown Corinth while waiting for a local ahead to get in the clear. About 15 wells back in the train is the crossing of the KCS Artesia Subdivision, once part of the GM&O's mainline to Mobile.
The Munds Mountain Trail is a challenging, remote trail in the Munds Mountain Wilderness. The trail begins near Committee Tank in a remote area at 6,400' elevation where Schnebly Hill, Jacks Canyon and Hot Loop trails meet above Bear Wallow Canyon. The trail starts with a steep, switchback ascent, climbing 500 feet in a little over a half-mile. There are fine views over Jacks Canyon and the rim country all the way to the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff. The trail flattens out as it emerges on the broad, open, flat expanse of the mountain top. The trail continues on, but it is never close to the edge. Careful exploration of the mountain top provides fantastic views of Bear Wallow Canyon, Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona, and the surrounding area. A GPS, map, and compass are strongly recommended for exploring off-trail. The only way off the mountain top is via the trail, so it's vitally important to know how to get back to the trail to descend the mountain.
Munds Mountain Trail approximately 2.8 miles. The trail is extremely remote. Hiking to the trail access via Schnebly Hill Trail is the recommended route. Driving to the trail access near Committee Tank is an extremely rough, rocky, remote route requiring a high clearance, four-wheel drive vehicle and off-highway driving skill. The trail can be accessed via Schnebly Hill Trail (2.0 miles one way), Jacks Canyon Trail (6.5 miles), or Hot Loop Trail (10 miles). A high clearance, four-wheel drive vehicle is required to access Schnebly Hill Trailhead. Mountain bikes are prohibited in Munds Mountain Wilderness, which includes Jacks Canyon, Hot Loop, and Munds Mountain trails.
Photo taken December 3, 2017 by Deborah Lee Soltesz. Credit U.S. Forest Service Coconino National Forest. For trail and recreation information, see Munds Mountain Trail No. 77 on the Red Rock Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest.
The Munds Mountain Trail is a challenging, remote trail in the Munds Mountain Wilderness. The trail begins near Committee Tank in a remote area at 6,400' elevation where Schnebly Hill, Jacks Canyon and Hot Loop trails meet above Bear Wallow Canyon. The trail starts with a steep, switchback ascent, climbing 500 feet in a little over a half-mile. There are fine views over Jacks Canyon and the rim country all the way to the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff. The trail flattens out as it emerges on the broad, open, flat expanse of the mountain top. The trail continues on, but it is never close to the edge. Careful exploration of the mountain top provides fantastic views of Bear Wallow Canyon, Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona, and the surrounding area. A GPS, map, and compass are strongly recommended for exploring off-trail. The only way off the mountain top is via the trail, so it's vitally important to know how to get back to the trail to descend the mountain.
Munds Mountain Trail approximately 2.8 miles. The trail is extremely remote. Hiking to the trail access via Schnebly Hill Trail is the recommended route. Driving to the trail access near Committee Tank is an extremely rough, rocky, remote route requiring a high clearance, four-wheel drive vehicle and off-highway driving skill. The trail can be accessed via Schnebly Hill Trail (2.0 miles one way), Jacks Canyon Trail (6.5 miles), or Hot Loop Trail (10 miles). A high clearance, four-wheel drive vehicle is required to access Schnebly Hill Trailhead. Mountain bikes are prohibited in Munds Mountain Wilderness, which includes Jacks Canyon, Hot Loop, and Munds Mountain trails.
Photo taken December 3, 2017 by Deborah Lee Soltesz. Credit U.S. Forest Service Coconino National Forest. For trail and recreation information, see Munds Mountain Trail No. 77 on the Red Rock Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest.
www.sapadventures.com/ The Inca Trail is a magnificent, well preserved Inca Trail route which connects Machu Picchu with what once were other regions of the Inca Empire, and today it is one of the world’s most popular treks. This four-day walk goes from the highlands of 4,200mts and down through the cloud forests to finally arrive at Machu Picchu - 2,380mts.
DAY 01. - Between 06:00 and 06:30 we pick you up at your hotel in our private bus. Ensure you have your original passport and ISIC student card (if applicable – for a discount on entree fee to Machu Picchu).
The journey by bus to km 82 (the starting point for the Inca Trail) takes approximately 3 hours. Once we get there and are all ready to go, this first day will have us walking mostly through the valley. It starts at 2380m with a small climb to a plateau overlooking the Incan site of Llactapata and rewards you with superb views of Mount Veronica. Walking times are always approximate depending on weather conditions, group ability and other factors, but generally you will walk about 2-3 hours before lunch. Then after lunch we walk on just past the village of Wayllabamba to reach our first campsite at 3000m.
Approx 14km, 6 hours walking this day at Inca Trail.
DAY 02. - Day 2 is the most difficult day as you Inca Trail walk from about 3000m to 4200m — the highest pass of the trek (known as Dead Woman’s Pass – but don’t be discouraged!). You can walk at your own pace and stop to get your breath whenever you like. You’ll find your energy returns once you continue down to the valley of Pacaymayo, where we camp at 3600m.
You can hire a porter from the village of Wayllabamba to carry your pack to the top of this pass for approximately 70 soles. If you wish to do so you must organize and pay this money directly to the person who carries your items, and please check your belongings upon receiving them at the end of this service as these people are not Sap Adventures staff.
This is the coldest night at Inca Trail; between +2/+4 degrees Celsius (in December) and -3/-5 degrees Celsius (in June). Approx 12km, 7 hours walking this day at Inca Trail.
DAY 03.- Day 3 is exceptionally beautiful because of the ruins you will witness and the incredible stone Inca Trail you walk one, and also because there is a lot more downhill than uphill! However, there are about 2000 stairs descending from the ruins of Phuyupatamarca to those of Wiñaywayna, so take care with your knees. If you have had knee or ankle injuries an extra porter is recommended so that you are not carrying extra weight and overstressing your joints. There is a guided tour of all the ruins on the way. Camping is usually at Wiñaywayna 2700 mtrs.
Take extra care of your personal belongings at this campsite as all the tours campsites are nearby. As usual, always keep your daypack containing your valuables with you. The only hot shower on the Inca Trail is on this third night at Wiñaywayna. There is a hostel near the campsite with an 8min hot shower for 5 soles, and a bar and restaurant where you can purchase bottled water.
Approx 16km, 6 hours walking this day on Inca Trail.
DAY 04.- We get up extremely early to arrive at the magical Intipunku "The Gate of the Sun" as the first rays begin illuminating the lost city of Machu Picchu down bellow. A further 20 min walk down from here takes us to the famous view from the terraces at the end of the trail. It is a good time to take pictures before the 10:30 crowds arrive. Your tour of Machu Picchu should last about 2 hours and finish between 10:30 and 11:00am. Then you have free time to climb Huayna Picchu if you wish (This is the famous peak in the background of most images of Machu Picchu. The trek is about 90 minutes). A maximum of 400 hikers can climb this mountain per day so if you are determined then start immediately after your tour! Or, of course, you may simply just collapse under a tree and quietly reflect in amazement at the mystery, the architectural achievement and beauty of Machu Picchu.
From Machu Picchu, it is a pleasant walk through sub-tropical jungle down to Aguas Calientes (about 45 mins), but if you are weary you may also take a bus – the $7 bus ticket is included and your guide will give you the ticket.
Once in Aguas Calientes you can have a hot shower, and then store your backpack while you go to have lunch, visit the hot springs or shop around the village.
If you are not extending your stay for one night in Aguas Calientes*, you will leave around 6pm to return to Cusco by train or by a combination of train & bus. Please note that during the high season there are a number of different departure times for the trains that run only to Ollantaytambo, from where buses run onwards till Cusco. The type of return journey depends simply on availability. You will arrive back in Cusco around 9 - 9.30pm.
Approx 7km, 2 hours walking this day on Inca Trail.
Early morning hike on Inner Basin Trail, San Francisco Peaks.
2009-05-30: Saturday evening, we were sitting on the front porch after our evening walk, enjoying a cup of chai and watching the sun set. There had been rain during the late afternoon, and heavy clouds had descended over the Peaks, hiding the mountain from view. The clouds had lifted in time for our evening ritual, and we noticed there was new snow on the upper tips of the Peaks. As we sipped our tea, we joked “If we were really motivated, we’d get up early, hit the Inner Basin Trail at dawn, and get some good photos before the snow melts off…”
2009-05-31: …so, at 4:00AM we stumbled out of bed, grabbed some coffee, got dressed, grabbed more coffee and rolled out the door around 4:30AM. We drove up the mountain, and hit the trail around 5:15AM. There was a bit of a breeze making the hike rather chilly. Everything was wet and green, and the aspens created a delectable aroma. Past Jack Spring (1.5 miles from the trailhead) we hit the frost line, and the vegetation sparkled (and the air was noticeably chillier). We arrived at the Inner Basin (the point where there’s a shelter and pumphouse, and all the Peaks are visible) around 6:45AM. We’d expected some shade still at that hour, and were delighted to discover the sun was shining right up through the low point in the Peaks (the north-eastern side, where the wall was blown out during an eruption), lighting up the entire Inner Basin for us. We wandered around a bit capturing various shots, then headed back to attend to our day’s activities.
I took this photo last year in High Tatras. I removed few people from it, so hopefully it's not visible :). HDR from three shots, taken with a Lumiz TZ3 camera.
www.sapadventures.com/ The Inca Trail is a magnificent, well preserved Inca Trail route which connects Machu Picchu with what once were other regions of the Inca Empire, and today it is one of the world’s most popular treks. This four-day walk goes from the highlands of 4,200mts and down through the cloud forests to finally arrive at Machu Picchu - 2,380mts.
DAY 01. - Between 06:00 and 06:30 we pick you up at your hotel in our private bus. Ensure you have your original passport and ISIC student card (if applicable – for a discount on entree fee to Machu Picchu).
The journey by bus to km 82 (the starting point for the Inca Trail) takes approximately 3 hours. Once we get there and are all ready to go, this first day will have us walking mostly through the valley. It starts at 2380m with a small climb to a plateau overlooking the Incan site of Llactapata and rewards you with superb views of Mount Veronica. Walking times are always approximate depending on weather conditions, group ability and other factors, but generally you will walk about 2-3 hours before lunch. Then after lunch we walk on just past the village of Wayllabamba to reach our first campsite at 3000m.
Approx 14km, 6 hours walking this day at Inca Trail.
DAY 02. - Day 2 is the most difficult day as you Inca Trail walk from about 3000m to 4200m — the highest pass of the trek (known as Dead Woman’s Pass – but don’t be discouraged!). You can walk at your own pace and stop to get your breath whenever you like. You’ll find your energy returns once you continue down to the valley of Pacaymayo, where we camp at 3600m.
You can hire a porter from the village of Wayllabamba to carry your pack to the top of this pass for approximately 70 soles. If you wish to do so you must organize and pay this money directly to the person who carries your items, and please check your belongings upon receiving them at the end of this service as these people are not Sap Adventures staff.
This is the coldest night at Inca Trail; between +2/+4 degrees Celsius (in December) and -3/-5 degrees Celsius (in June). Approx 12km, 7 hours walking this day at Inca Trail.
DAY 03.- Day 3 is exceptionally beautiful because of the ruins you will witness and the incredible stone Inca Trail you walk one, and also because there is a lot more downhill than uphill! However, there are about 2000 stairs descending from the ruins of Phuyupatamarca to those of Wiñaywayna, so take care with your knees. If you have had knee or ankle injuries an extra porter is recommended so that you are not carrying extra weight and overstressing your joints. There is a guided tour of all the ruins on the way. Camping is usually at Wiñaywayna 2700 mtrs.
Take extra care of your personal belongings at this campsite as all the tours campsites are nearby. As usual, always keep your daypack containing your valuables with you. The only hot shower on the Inca Trail is on this third night at Wiñaywayna. There is a hostel near the campsite with an 8min hot shower for 5 soles, and a bar and restaurant where you can purchase bottled water.
Approx 16km, 6 hours walking this day on Inca Trail.
DAY 04.- We get up extremely early to arrive at the magical Intipunku "The Gate of the Sun" as the first rays begin illuminating the lost city of Machu Picchu down bellow. A further 20 min walk down from here takes us to the famous view from the terraces at the end of the trail. It is a good time to take pictures before the 10:30 crowds arrive. Your tour of Machu Picchu should last about 2 hours and finish between 10:30 and 11:00am. Then you have free time to climb Huayna Picchu if you wish (This is the famous peak in the background of most images of Machu Picchu. The trek is about 90 minutes). A maximum of 400 hikers can climb this mountain per day so if you are determined then start immediately after your tour! Or, of course, you may simply just collapse under a tree and quietly reflect in amazement at the mystery, the architectural achievement and beauty of Machu Picchu.
From Machu Picchu, it is a pleasant walk through sub-tropical jungle down to Aguas Calientes (about 45 mins), but if you are weary you may also take a bus – the $7 bus ticket is included and your guide will give you the ticket.
Once in Aguas Calientes you can have a hot shower, and then store your backpack while you go to have lunch, visit the hot springs or shop around the village.
If you are not extending your stay for one night in Aguas Calientes*, you will leave around 6pm to return to Cusco by train or by a combination of train & bus. Please note that during the high season there are a number of different departure times for the trains that run only to Ollantaytambo, from where buses run onwards till Cusco. The type of return journey depends simply on availability. You will arrive back in Cusco around 9 - 9.30pm.
Approx 7km, 2 hours walking this day on Inca Trail.
I decided on simple green for the series, perhaps, green on green. Here is another small section of green trailside along the South Fork of South St.Vrain Creek and decided that I needed to get in tight to catch this shot. It is near the earlier maple and certainly does not look like salad greens. No matter the daily high temps, this canyon is always cooled by shade and tumbling creek. Often, it's hard to cop a weekend parking spot just to get out and walk.
I had to dodge folks who had actually hauled their gear down the trail thus giving me a reason to use the longer lens. It's a dandy mountain stream that courses down the canyon; in fact, this is actually the South Fork of South St.Vrain Creek. I HAD to maneuver into the right spot in order to compose this shot; I was using my longer zoom as close as it would focus and left my skyhook at home. I'll be the one with the wet jeans. I will say that my longer zoom was handy in many spots although not a close focusing lens.
eDDie got a wild hare (Loveland tularemia, probably) to go to Brainard Lake for the sunset on a jet trip and he called me up. I have been up there several times even with one of my sheet film cameras. I am sure that he was not ready for the experience when the morning sky clunked up and repaired to Ceran well down from Brainard. I am always amazed at the campers that can pack into this narrow gully that has few level spots to pitch a tent. I have not been down the trail since the flood but it looks like it survive a lot better than other canyons. The Forest Service sign limits camping to a minimum of 1/4 mile from the parking. I was trying to shoot with my long lens yet. The normal zoom would have been a lot better plan. I was busy shooting as eDDie scurried on his way after wildflowers, great stuck with my streamside shots and ended up with enough for a series.
The south fork creek flows down the canyon below Gresham and to meet the Middle Fork of the South St.Vrain. There are a large number of possibilities up this creek (pronounced crick in the Rockies) and I have taken many captures that I snapped over time. As I sit opening the captures, I usually feel that I left shots behind no matter where I visit, eDDie's or my venues.
This trail offers a picturesque access to East Clear Creek, crossing the creek near a moderately deep section. There are excellent opportunities for fishing and sightseeing. Expect the trail to be steep and rocky in places.
Photo by Deborah Lee Soltesz, September 2016. Source: U.S. Forest Service, Coconino National Forest. Visit Kinder Crossing Trail #19 and the Coconino National Forest for more information.