Photo of the Day

2015

11/16 - Ypsilon Mountain from Upper Beaver Meadows.

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11/10 - Morning sunrise.

11/4 - A nice little sunset appeared over Gabletop Mtn and Sprague Pass last night.

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10/4 - "Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished." ~ Lao Tzu

10/3 - "Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns." ~ George Eliot St. Vrain Mtn trail.

10/2 - Looking into the Hutcheson Lakes/Coney Lake basin from St. Vrain Mtn. Ogalalla Pk & Mt. Copeland. Pear Lk appears in the bottom right.

10/1 - A lower autumn sun illuminates the grasses and ground willows of the colorful alpine. St. Vrain Mt trail.

9/30 - Looking over Wild Basin from the top of St. Vrain Mtn. Mt Alice, Chiefs Head Pk, Pagoda Mtn, Longs Pk, & Mt Meeker. Finch Lake is in the bottom right and barely visible below Mt Meeker is the sandy beach at Sandbeach Lk.

9/29 - Autumn Gold. "In those vernal seasons of the year, when the air is calm and pleasant, it were an injury and sullenness against Nature not to go out and see her riches, and partake in her rejoicing with heaven and earth." ~ John Milton

9/28 - The lunar eclipse begins as the super Harvest Moon rises over Deer Mtn. "There is something of the marvelous in all things of nature." ~ Aristotle

9/26 - "Don't mess with me!"

9/25 - Sunlight filters through fall aspen leaves creating a golden glow along Boulder Brook. "Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty." ~ Albert Einstein

9/23 - Fall aspens line the Storm Pass trail creating a golden path.

9/22 - The autumn aspens are still in transition in the high country. Otis Peak, Hallett Peak, and Flattop Mtn from the Storm Pass trail.

9/21 - Autumnal Sunset: Front Range mountains silhouetted by brilliant evening clouds. Taylor Pk, Otis Pk, Hallett Pk, and Flattop Mtn.

9/20 - Autumnal Sunsets: Evening sunlight and clouds play over McHenry's Peak.

9/19 - Autumnal sunset: With the first dusting of snow on the north face, evening clouds float off the summit of Longs Peak. . From Emerald Mtn.

9/18 - Evening clouds with Longs Peak from the Upper Ute trail.

9/17 - Transition in the subalpine. Fall aspens along the Bierstadt Moraine trail.

9/16 - Fall aspens are beginning to change while a haze from western wildfires carries into the Park. From the Bierstadt Moraine trail.

9/15 - Evening light over Nymph Lake and Hallett Pk.

9/14 - Looking down on Nymph Lake, Bear Lake and the Bierstadt Moraine from the Haiyaha Lake trail.

9/13 - The north and southwest ridges of Longs Peak, including Storm Pk, Keyboard of the Winds and Pagoda Mtn, basking in early autumn evening sunlight, from the Lk Haiyaha trail.

9/12 - Autumn in the subalpine: Aspens along the Glacier Creek trail, looking up into the Loch Vale.

9/11 - A fall evening at Alberta Falls.

9/10 - Autumn begins to descend into the subalpine. Aspen leaves along the Alberta Falls trail.

9/8 - Travelers on Trail Ridge Road, from the Ute trail.

9/7 - Sunset over Hayden Spire, Continental Divide, from the Ute trail.

9/6 - Evening Stroll: Clouds glow from late day sun over Tombstone Ridge along the Ute trail.

9/5 - An Evening Stroll: RMNP celebrates a landmark in time, 100 years of preservation. Congratulations!

9/4 - An Evening Stroll: Autumn gold on the alpine tundra. Tombstone Ridge and Sundance Mountain from the Ute trail.

9/3 - An Evening Stroll: Longs Peak & the upper Glacier Gorge from the Ute trail. While the aspen trees of the subalpine still hold their deep summer green, autumn has definitely settled over the alpine tundra.

9/2 - "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority."~ E. B. White

9/1 - The sun shines not on us but in us. The rivers flow not past, but through us, thrilling, tingling, vibrating every fiber and cell of the substance of our bodies, making them glide and sing. The trees wave and the flowers bloom in our bodies as well as our souls, and every bird song, wind song, and; tremendous storm song of the rocks in the heart of the mountains is our song, our very own, and sings our love." - John Muir

8/31 - Mead's Sulphur butterfly

8/31 - Hoary Comma butterfly

8/30 - A late summer full moon rises to the east over Sprague Lake.

8/29 - Late summer sun sets over Sprague Lake and Front Range.

8/28 - Hidden Valley Creek along the Hidden Valley Nature trail.

8/27 - Fern Falls

8/26 - Loomis Lake & Gabletop Mtn

8/25 - A small waterfall between Spruce Lake and Loomis Lake in the upper hanging valley.

8/24 - Spruce Lake with Gabletop Mountain and Castle Rock.

8/23 - "Reading about nature is fine, but if a person walks in the woods and listens carefully, he can learn more than what is in books, for they speak with the voice of God." ~ George Washington Carver

8/22 - Arrowhead in the Upper Glacier Gorge.

8/22 - The Spearhead in the Upper Glacier Gorge.

8/21 - Mill Creek descends through aspens along the Mill Creek trail. Still late summer green here.

8/20 - A small waterfall along Mill Creek.

8/19 - A late summer cool front has brought moisture to the Park. The trails are rich in vivid colors and aroma. The Mill Creek trail.

8/17 - Late afternoon clouds sweep shadows across the landscape at Mills Lake in Glacier Gorge.

8/16 - Upper Glacier Gorge with Mills Lake and Mummy Range.

8/15 - Fast moving clouds create dramatic shadows on McHenry's Peak, with the Stone Man on left over looking the upper Glacier Gorge.

8/14 - Frozen Lake with Arrowhead ridgeline in the upper Glacier Gorge region, looking north to the Mummy Range.

8/13 - Green Lake in the upper Glacier Gorge region, looking north to the Mummy Range.

8/12 - Blue Lake in the upper Glacier Gorge region, looking across to the Mummy Range.

8/11 - Black Lake with McHenry's Pk, Glacier Gorge.

8/10 - Wildflowers bloom along Glacier Creek, with McHenry's Peak and Ribbon Falls, Glacier Gorge.

8/8 - The grassy tundra western slope of Gabletop Mtn.

8/7 - Splashes of alpine flowers paint the tundra, with Sprague Mtn.

8/6

8/6 - A herd of elk appear from nowhere near Bighorn Flats on the Continental Divide.

8/5 - Tourmaline Gorge from the Continental Divide with Gabletop Mtn, The Gable, Tourmaline Lake, Fern Lake and Odessa Lake.

8/4 - The White-tailed Ptarmigan, in summer camouflage, is spooked up on the slopes of Knobtop Mtn. The red eye comb indicates this is a breeding male.

8/3 - The Tonahutu Creek trail crosses Bighorn Flats on the Continental Divide with Sprague Mtn and Stones Peak in the distance and Knobtop Mtn on the far right.

8/1 - Sunset clouds light up over Longs Peak with the moon.

7/31 - Dream Lake & Tyndall Gorge with the last throws of the days sunlight on Hallett Peak.

7/30 - Tyndall Creek with Hallett Peak, Tyndall Gorge.

7/29 - Evening reflection at Nymph Lake.

7/27 - Wildflowers and waterfalls below the East Face "Diamond" of Longs Peak in the Chasm Lake basin, Rocky Mountain National Park.

7/26 - Looking down on Peacock Pool below Columbine Falls in the Chasm Lake basin.

7/25 - Chasm Lake with Mills Glacier and "The Diamond" East Face of Longs Peak.

7/24 - An amazing patch of columbines with Columbine Falls from the Chasm Lake trail.

7/23 - Chasm Lake trail with Peacock Pool (bottom left), Columbine Falls, and the East Face 'Diamond' of Longs Peak. An RMNP classic.

7/18 - Fay Lakes basin with The Four Aces of Ypsilon Mtn., Mummy Range.

7/17 - Middle Fay Lake in the trailless Fay Lakes Basin north of Ypsilon Mtn, Mummy Range. C.E. Fay was the first president of the American Alpine Club.

7/16 - Ypsilon Lake with Mt. Chiquita in the Mummy Range.

7/15 - Morning clouds begin to dissipate over Ypsilon Mtn in the Mummy Range as seen from Chipmunk Lake.

7/14 - Early morning summer sun lights up Horseshoe Park while Longs Peak casts off clouds. View from the Ypsilon Lake trail.

7/13 - There's a Diamond at the end of the rainbow! A miraculous moment, Longs Peak.

7/12 - rockymountaindayhikes.com added Bluebird Lake, 6.3 miles, to Longer Hikes.

7/10 - Alpine Avens cascade into Bluebird Lake, with Ouzel Peak, Wild Basin.

7/9 - Being buried by an avalanche of Snow-lilies. Along the Bluebird Lake trail in Wild Basin.

7/8 - Globe Mallow and Snow-lilies delight in the misty spray from a waterfall along the Bluebird Lake trail.

7/7 - Chickadee Pond, Wild Basin. Near the Bluebird Lk trail with Ouzel Pk.

7/6 - Hiking in the Bluebird Lake region of Wild Basin. Ouzel Peak.

7/4 - Patches of Little Red Elephant are spread like gems across Big Meadows along the Tonahutu Creek with Nakai Peak.

7/3 - Granite Falls, Tonahutu Creek trail.

7/2 - Portions of the Tonahutu Creek trail travels through the Big Meadows fire that burned 653 acres in the summer of 2013. Heart-leaved Arnica, a woodland wildflower of the montane and subalpine forest, is thriving without any forest canopy to block the sun, which indicates that it's the forest soil, not the forest canopy, that determines the habitat for this flower.

7/1 - Mountain stream in the Haynach basin lined with Globeflower.

6/29 - Upper Haynach Lake with Nakai Peak. "The 1914 Aprapahoe used the word haa' nach to mean snow water." - High Country Names. The ground all around in the Haynach basin was marshy with snow water. It's still spring melting season at 11,000'.

6/27 - The remarkably adaptable Alpen Dandi Lyon flower lines the trail to Lulu City.

6/26 - A view of the Lulu City meadow with the Gore Range in the hazy distance from the Little Yellowstone trail.

6/25 - Little Yellowstone and the origins of the Colorado River.

6/24 - Lady Creek waterfall along the Little Yellowstone trail.

6/23 - Lulu City meadow with Shipler Mtn. In 1879, prospector Joe Shipler found silver in the area. Soon a town with a population of about 200 appeared for a few years, then went bust. Shipler continued to live in the area for another 30 years.

6/22 - The Mummy Range with Hagues Peak.

6/21 - Happy Summer Solstice Day.

6/20 - rockymountaindayhikes.com added Bridal Veil Falls trail, 3.1 miles, to Moderate Hikes.

6/19 - Windy Gulch Cascades off the Fern Lake trail.

6/18 - Front Range & Estes Valley from the Gem Lake trail.

6/17 - Aspen grove along the Dark Mountain trail.

6/16 - The tail at Bridal Veil Falls has a lot of kick to it these days.

6/15 - Calm reflection from Gem Lake with Longs Peak.

6/14 - The Upper Big Thompson R. flowing through Moraine Park as seen from the Beaver Mtn trail.

6/13 - Fern Falls flows fully with winter snowmelt.

6/12 - The trail to Fern Lake is snow free, until you get to the lake. A beautiful reflection, even on an overcast day.

6/11 - Longs Peak from the Beaver Mtn loop trail.

6/10 - Featured Hike: Beaver Mtn Loop - 4.6 miles An easy, low elevation trail that offers excellent views, including Longs Peak and Moraine Park.

6/9 - This White-tailed Ptarmigan along the lower portion of the Alberta Falls trail is ready for summer and was sure I couldn't see him.

6/3 - Front Range & Moraine Pk from east end of Deer Ridge.

6/2 - Spring runoff along the Deer Ridge loop trail.

6/1 - The north side of Deer Mtn from the North Deer Mtn trail.

5/31 - Clouds foam around The Sharkstooth.

5/30 - Late day sun lights up a stand of aspens with newly emerged spring green leaves along the Beaver Mtn trail.

5/29 - Spring snows blanket the north slope of Longs Peak.

5/28 - Early evening thunderhead builds beyond Twin Sisters.

5/27 - rockymountaindayhikes.com added the West Creek Falls trail to Moderate Hikes.

5/26 - The ice is completely off Bear Lake. The trail around the lake, and on the adjoining trails is still mostly snow covered, especially in the trees.

5/23 - Landscape in motion. Low clouds shrouding Deer Mtn were moving quickly from right to left, while the higher clouds above slowly moved in the opposite direction.

5/22 - Occasionally, in the middle of these overcast, moisture filled snowy spring days, we will get a spectacular, bluebird sky morning that teases us into thinking summer is here, only to have the clouds roll back in by afternoon

5/21 - Moisture continues to define spring this year.

5/19 - Storm clouds descend over Longs Peak leaving only Storm Pk visible, with Key Board of the Winds and Pagoda Mtn barely visible in the background. Will this late spring snowstorm be the last?

5/18

5/17 - Front Range mountains Saturday morning on the trail from Deer Ridge Junction to Upper Beaver Meadows.

5/16 - Velvety antlers are sprouting everywhere.

5/15 - Arrowhead Ridge off of McHenrys Peak, Glacier Gorge.

5/14 - Hallett Peak rises through from spring clouds.

5/13 - Cooler temperatures over the weekend maintained an ice cover over Bear Lake with additional snow added on top. Breaking clouds obscured Longs Peak but revealed Storm Peak.

5/12 - Longs Peak emerges from the clouds revealing another layer of spring snow. Summer hiking up there appears a long ways away.

5/11 - Another storm system moved through the Park over the weekend leaving more springtime snow. However, most of the snow had disappeared at lower elevations by Sunday afternoon.

5/10 - Happy Mothers Day!

5/9 - A Mallard drake endures more spring snows at Sprague Lake.

5/8 - The Park is seeing a lot of spring moisture right now.

5/7 - Ouzel Falls, Wild Basin, May 3rd.

5/7 - Calypso Cascades, Wild Basin, May 3rd.

5/6 - If you happen to be taking a break at the Upper Copeland Falls in Wild Basin, watch for a pair of American Dippers or water ouzels.

5/5 - Lower Copeland Falls in Wild Basin on Sunday.

5/4 - Chiefs Head Peak, Glacier Gorge.

5/2 - Bear Lake at 9,500'. Bear Lake is still ice covered, but for how much longer?

5/3 - Longs Peak

5/1 - Drip irrigation, nature style.

4/30 - A weekend cold front brought a fresh layer of beautiful pure white snow, stunning against a Colorado blue sky. The delicious moisture will make travel in the high country difficult for now but will help feed the alpine wildflowers and streams long into the summer. McHenry's Peak & Thatchtop

4/29 - Hollowell Park, Sunday. Low clouds brought moist snow to the higher peaks.

4/28 - From the wtf dept: This unusual display was on show Sunday along the Cub Lake road. There wasn't anyone anywhere in the vicinity, it was just there, an open flowered suitcase with cacti inside on an overcast day in Moraine Park, waiting to be acknowledged.

4/27 - Springtime in the Rockies is all about elevation. Here's Sprague Lake at 8,660' on Sunday. The the clouds were hanging low over the mountains on this day. Watch for periodic updates on these views as spring turns to summer.

4/26 - Fall River flows from Fall River Pass and Mt Chapin.

4/25 - Ypsilon Mtn of the Mummy Range rises from behind Deer Ridge.

4/22 -Castle Mtn rises above Oldman Mtn after a recent snowfall.

4/17 - June is looking greener.

4/16 - "Some see Nature all ridicule and deformity, and some scarce see Nature at all. But to the eyes of the man of imagination, Nature is Imagination itself." - William Blake, 1799

4/15 - Mt Meeker & Longs Peak from Lily Lake on an early spring morning.

4/14 - The Twin Sisters trail crosses a massive landslide from the Sept, 2013 deluge and provides some insight into the geological events of nature.

4/13 - The East Face of Longs Peak.

4/12 - A patch of Easter Daisies blooming at West Horseshoe Park, with Mt Chapin.

4/11 - An Early Spring Evening Stroll: A female Mallard takes a moment to shake some water from her tail feathers while feeding with her partner along the Fern Lake road. The evening sounds of spring are alive everywhere in this area now.

4/10 - Evening stroll: Evening colors offset Gabletop Mtn as seen from the lower portion of the Fern Lake trail.

4/9 - Afternoon stroll: Thanks to the rock artist who left this next to the Upper Big Thompson R along the Fern Lake trail.

4/8 - About a year ago, Rocky Mountain Day Hikes launched this facebook page, and it's been a terrific 1st year. On this 1 year anniversary, I am pleased to announce the development of Rocky Mountain Day Hikes companion website, www.rockymountaindayhikes.com.

4/5 - Easter Daisies opening to the sun.

4/4 - Spring comes slowly to the high country. Otis Peak, Chaos Canyon, Hallett Peak, Tyndall Glacier & Tyndall Gorge.

4/2 - Early spring afternoon sun pours from the clouds and runs down the shoulders of Stones Peak.

4/1 - Taylor Peak with Sprague Lake.

3/31 - Water creates so many incredible patterns and colors and plays on light, constantly changing and shifting. Missing here is the musical sound a mountain steam makes. A nice place to be on a warm spring afternoon. Rejuvenation along Beaver Brook.

3/30 - Mt Ypsilon welcomes the early spring morning sun.

3/29 - Easter Daisy (Townsendia hookeri) Along with the Pasque flower, this is one of the earliest flowers to bloom in the Park. More common in the plains and foothills, it can found at the lowest elevations within the Park on barren, rocky ground. It will continue to bloom into May.

3/28 - Signs of Spring: The bulls are sprouting new antlers. Antlers can grow as much as an inch a day.

3/27 - Hallett Pk & Flattop Mtn

3/25 - Signs of Spring: Days can be warm, but nights are still cold. Splashing water from rushing snowmelt streams freeze on old hanging grasses creating interesting ice formations. Along Beaver Brook.

3/24 - Longs Peak (14,259) & The Diamond in the Equinox morning sun

3/23 - And so begins the spring of life. A wasp visits a newly opened Pasque Flower along the Lumpy Ridge trail

3/22 - Arrowhead (12,387') & McHenrys Pk (13,327') catching the early morning sunlight

3/21 - An exciting time in the mountains as they transition from winter to spring. Longs Peak and Glacier Gorge.

3/20 - Late day sunlight on Longs Peak

3/19 - Dramatic evening light over Moraine Park.

3/18 - Evening geese enjoy the setting sunlight over Spruce Canyon

3/15 - The ice at Lake Helene was thick, filled with frozen air bubbles, and polished smoother than a well kept bar top (other similes welcomed). Still, the temperature changes were causing tectonic-like expansion and contractions with new cracks occasionally being announced with a loud bang.

3/14 - A snowshoer crosses Lake Helene, with Notchtop Mtn & Ptarmigan Glacier.

3/13 - Wind sculptured snow on the approach to Lake Helene.

3/12 - The trail to Lake Helene was well packed on Sunday from a steady flow of snowshoers. It was warm and sunny and feeling like spring conditions as Notchtop Mtn comes into view.

3/11 - A goading Clark's Nutcracker at the Flattop Mtn trail junction.

Click on a photo for larger image.

3/10 - Looking across the valley at the early morning sun warming the face of The Spearhead in the Glacier Gorge, from the Flattop Mtn trail.

3/9 - It was a bluebird day for people out having fun at Bear Lake on Sunday.

3/8 - A reminder of the past, a promise of things to come, still beauty at the moment

3/7 - OMG! A stand of aspens near the East Portal trailhead have flower buds popping, 2 weeks before the spring equinox! They're ready!

3/6 - Cross-country skiing below Otis Peak

3/5 - Small critter tracks are everywhere in the snow.

3/4 - The Snowy Owls of Lumpy Ridge.

3/3 - “How I would like people to hear the sound of snow falling through the deepening night" ~ Hakuin

3/1 - Shadows can throw unexpected patterns across the snow.

3/1 - Seeing snow sparkles & shadows on an early morning jaunt.

2/28 - The Upper Big Thompson River along the Fern Lake trail.

2/27 - A spruce tree offers to keep an aspen tree warm along the Fern Lake trail.

2/26 - Predicting mountain weather is not for the faint of heart, anything is possible. Looking down the Glacier Cr valley and across to the Bierstadt Moraine.

2/25 - The warm sun worked its' magic on the snow covered trees, with McHenry's Peak

3/24 - With the new fallen snow, the woods are silent except for a few birds speaking quietly and the creaking sound of my old leather boots in the three-pin bindings, filling the silence like stepping on an old kitchen floor on a cold, quite morning (an inspired metaphor is a beautiful thing).

3/23 - The most recent snow fall has brought terrific ski conditions to the Glacier Creek trail.

2/22 - The warm radiance from the rocks & boulders along the Fern Lake trail can create some interesting icicles.

2/21 - Snow clouds descend across the Front Range Mtns, Taylor Pk, Otis Peak & Hallett Pk, with the eastern ridge of Castle Mtn from the Lumpy Ridge trail.

2/20 - Twin Owls from the Lumpy Ridge trail

2/19 - Aspens in snow along the Fern Lk trail

2/18 - The snowfall on Monday created gradients of light along the upper Big Thompson River at the Fern Lake trailhead.

2/17 - A cacophony of silence among the spruce, snow fell beautifully along the Fern Lake trail.

2/16 - Snow is in the air!

2/15 - Bull elk with Longs Peak

2/13 - I stare at the gate. There is no way that gate is going to open; the wind had packed snow waist deep around it. (Continue reading: http://www.rockymountaindayhikes.com/blog.html)

2/12 - This willow bush in Horseshoe Park acts like a rock in a river of wind creating an eddy for the snow to gather behind, which in turn provides extra moisture for whatever happens to grow there.

2/11 + Ypsilon Mtn rises up behind the southwest Bighorn Mtn ridge

2/10 - Fall River Pass, still showing snow, and Mount Chapin

2/9 - The ice on Fall River in Horseshoe Park is thinning out in spring-like weather — at Rocky Mountain National Park.

2/1 - Young aspens with an orangish bark reflecting something may be different in the soil there. Near Bear Lake. (http://www.extension.colostate.edu/.../natu_docs/aspen.shtml)

1/31 -Skiing at Hidden Valley.

1/31 -Skiing at Hidden Valley.

1/30 - Taylor Peak pierces the cloud cover that hung over the mountains

1/28 - A little skiing on the trail to Bierstadt Lake from Bear Lake.

1/22 - Close enough?

1/21 - The winter willows at Endovalley with Deer Mtn

1/20 - Winter twilight sky

1/19 - Late day sun casts the last bit of light on Mt Chiquita and Ypsilon Mt

1/18 - Last evenings sunset over the Mummy Range

1/13 - Ypsilon of the Mummy Range

1/8 - Sprague Lake

1/6 - Yesterday, the mountains were full of wind and fury, an impressive show of force. Quite a change from the absolute windlessness of News Years day. Hallett Peak

1/5 - On Calden Pond, with Taylor & Otis Peaks

1/3 - Bear Lake 1/1/15

1/2 - An incredibly beautiful and calm day begins the year at Bear Lake.