3 posts tagged “hiking”
I decided to walk to work a couple weeks ago. I thought it would be interesting to see a familiar place at a different pace. Despite living in Fort Collins for almost 20 years and driving the same route to work for about 14 of those, I'd never walked along most of the route. I live in southwest Fort Collins and work in southeast Fort Collins, so the walk was about 7 1/2 miles and 2 1/2 hours. Click the photo below to see the whole album. Enjoy.
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| Walk to Work December 2007 |
I enjoyed a beautiful, late-season hike with a couple friends to Bluebird Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park last Thursday. One of the things I like most about this hike is that it passes through several burn areas from the 1978 Ouzel Fire. Even 30 years later there is very little regrowth in many of these areas, attesting to the intensity of that fire.
Also noteworthy is the fact that Bluebird Lake, though six miles from the nearest road, used to have a large concrete dam and served as a water source for the city of Longmont. In 1988 Rocky Mountain National Park removed 5 million pounds of concrete and rebar from Bluebird Lake (see "Removal of High Dams" near the bottom of the linked page) to restore it to near-pristine condition.
For an interesting visual comparison take a look at these pictures from the same hike in August 2004. Here is a good example showing Bluebird Lake in winter and summer.
Also noteworthy is the fact that Bluebird Lake, though six miles from the nearest road, used to have a large concrete dam and served as a water source for the city of Longmont. In 1988 Rocky Mountain National Park removed 5 million pounds of concrete and rebar from Bluebird Lake (see "Removal of High Dams" near the bottom of the linked page) to restore it to near-pristine condition.
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| Bluebird Lake November 2007 |
For an interesting visual comparison take a look at these pictures from the same hike in August 2004. Here is a good example showing Bluebird Lake in winter and summer.
I took this picture a few years ago while hiking Long's Peak with friends. The morning sunlight bathed the mountain in rich, warm light.
