Teig is still looking and acting great as an eleven year old pup. We hiked 6 miles and 2,500 foot vertical ascent up to Bison Peak in the Lost Creek Wilderness and played in the beautiful red boulder field at the summit. We then hiked the 6 miles back down to Lost Park and he never showed signs of slowing down. He is a Trail Dog through and through!
Berthoud Pass Aerial Pano
A 240 degree panorama of Berthoud Pass from June 2019. The photo is looking directly into the snow-covered peaks in the Vasquez Wilderness of Colorado's Rocky Mountains.
Hairpin Turns on Berthoud Pass
A cool aerial photo of hairpin turns near the saddle of Berthoud Pass. Berthoud Pass is a scenic mountain drive through the Rocky Mountains, and is located directly on U.S. Highway 40, just north of the junction with I-70. This photo was taken from my drone on a late spring evening when traffic was moderate.
Bull Elk Resting in Grass
A large bull elk relaxing on a late September morning in the high Colorado Rocky Mountains.
White Marsh Marigolds near Snow Field
We came across this meadow of Marsh Marigolds on our hike to Ptarmigan Lake in the Sawatch Range of Central Colorado in early summer. These beautiful flowers were below a huge snow field and I couldn’t pass up the photo opportunity. I just love photographing Colorado mountain flowers.
Creek Off of Ptarmigan Trail
A nice creek we crossed on our hike up to Ptarmigan Lake in the Sawatch Range of Colorado. This little creek was flowing pretty good and we stopped on it's bank to have lunch.
Traildog in Fog at Gross Reservoir
Teig and I were exploring the area around Gross Reservoir in the Front Range above Boulder Colorado during a rainy day in spring. The lake was quiet and we didn’t see another soul as we hiked the rocks and the beaches of the lake. These are some of my favorite times spending moments with my Colorado Traildog.
Bison Lounging at the Great Salt Lake
A small herd of bison were lounging on the beaches of Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake. This island is a state park and a wonderful location to explore Salt Lake. Ogden Utah is located across the lake.
Resting in a Continental Divide Alpine Meadow
How about resting in an alpine meadow off the Continental Divide in the Colorado Rockies? Well Teig was doing just that on a hike to Skyscrapper Peak. This does relax the soul.
James Peak and the Alpine Lake
Teig checking out the snow and James Peak Lake from a ridge in Colorado's James Peak Wilderness. We hiked Kingston Peak on this day and enjoyed the early summer conditions with the snow covering much of the alpine terrain.
Colorado Rocky Mountain Goat on Mount Democrat
On our way to the summit of Mount Democrat (14,155 ft), we met this guy hanging out in the rocks checking out the hikers. It is always fun to run into these goats above treeline on the way to the summit of a fourteener. Quick Fact: they are not a native species to Colorado and are descendants of transplants from the Rockies north of Colorado for game hunters in the 1940's.
Summit of La Plata Peak
Tieg is resting at the top of La Plata Peak. La Plata Peak (14,336 ft.) is the fifth-highest summit of the Rocky Mountains of North America and the state of Colorado. La Plata means "silver" in Spanish. This fourteener is located in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness of San Isabel National Forest. It took us a good 5 hours to reach the summit from the less traveled southern route. It was well worth it with these gorgeous views from the top of the world!
Saint Thomas the Apostle Church
This church, built in 1935, replacing an older one that burned in 1860. The church anchors the main plaza of Abiquiu, New Mexico. Abiquiú means "wild choke cherry place" in the Tewa language. The community is also called Santo Tomas de Abiquiú and the Pueblo of Santo Tomas de Abiquiú.
Ruin Buoy on Great Salt Lake Shore
We were exploring the shore on Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake and came upon this historic metal buoy. It was fun seeing the past on display at this beach.This is why we get off the trail and explore a location when traveling across the American West.
Paws in Bear Creek
Teig cooling off in one of the beautiful creeks in the Mount Evans Wilderness in the Colorado Rockies. What is better than an icy Colorado creek to refresh a hiker and his pup… not much! It is a great time to capture a moment with my camera and enjoy nature with my traildog.
Standing in Browns Lake
Teig resting his paws in Browns Lake high in the Cache La Poudre Wilderness north of Rocky Mountain National Park. Trekking back to this lake from the valley below was worth the hike. The gorgeous cirque with alpine ridges sits above the lake and is not overly visited by hikers. I would consider this location a nice place in the Colorado Rockies to get away from the crowds. It is approximately a 4.5 mile hike in to reach the lake.
Dinosaur National Monument Canyon
Looking out over Dinosaur National Monument in Northwest Colorado is a wonderful experience. The canyons span out under you and you can see for miles into the heart of the beautiful American West.
Water Spouts on Mountain Stream
St. Louis Creek in Fraser Experimental Forest outside of Winter Park Colorado. I found this cool waterscape a ways up the old road which is now used as a trail for hikers and mountain bikers to ascend the mountains to St. Louis Lake. I love the water spouts shooting out of the corrugated pipe.
Wet Weather Confronts Traildog at Lake
Stormy spring day hiking at Gross Reservoir in the Front Range of Colorado. Teig was soaked but having a blast playing in the sand a rocks around the lake and no other folks around.
Playing in Harney Peak Fire Tower Reservoir
The Harney Peak Fire Tower was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps from 1935 to 1938. Stones gathered from French Creek were used to construct the tower. All of the building materials were hauled by man and mule along the three mile trail to the summit of Harney Peak.
The lookout tower, dam, pump house and stairway were constructed upon the highpoint. The reservoir created by the dam supplied water to the living quarters which were located in the lower level of the Harney Peak Fire Tower. Harney Peak Fire Tower was staffed until 1965 by the U.S. Forest Service, and then for the following two years by Custer State Park. A watchful eye was placed across the surrounding Black Hills looking for smoke rising from a forest fire.