My favorite run in all of Colorado and a ritual during peak wildflower season. Add to that an awesome group of friends and there’s simply no better way to spend a Rocky Mountain Saturday!
Friday night carpool out to camp under the stars on Independence Pass and we hit the Apsen trails bright and early at 6:30 the next morning.
Buckaroos on Buckskin Pass
Early morning light off Buckskin Pass
Another perk of beautiful Colorado mountain running is getting to drink delicious fresh mountain water straight from the source!
Kea dog enjoys the views from Trail Rider Pass. A world of marmots below! [Photo by Eric Lee]
Left and right and all around incredible views of green, red, white and blue from Frigid Air Pass [Photo by Pete Newton]
Nailed it! Another awkward family photo ;-)
Could’ve stayed here all day
Looks like Andy needs a little sandal pillow on Frigid Air Pass [Photo by Eric Lee]
I studied my new wildflower book (thanks Ben & Kristen for the thoughtful gift!) and felt like a kid on a scavenger hunt running around hunting for flowers and floating through meadows of scarlet paintbrushes, marsh marigolds, purple fringe, deep blue gentians, bistort, old man of the mountain, alpine avens, king’s crown, and dozens of different kinds of alpine sunflowers.
So many flowers to name on the high mountain meadows.
My favorites! The elephant heads.
Elephant heads, Alpine anemones, Colorado columbines and Parry’s primroses.