Surrounded by Eye Candy – A Photo Essay

Here are a few of the 400 photographs I took while hiking in Summit County, Colorado last Saturday. I know. 400. I couldn’t help myself. Everywhere I looked was another breathtaking shot.

It occurred to me why Pinterest has become so popular. With the advent of digital photography, there’s an explosion of new photographers on the scene.

Gone are the days of being limited by film with only 36 shots per roll. Back then, I had to pick and choose my subject. Film and processing could be pricey.

Now I snap away. I have no idea how many photos my phone will hold in its memory, but there are over a thousand saved so far. I also use my Nikon Coolpix and blow through memory cards. I don’t reuse them, but store them in small envelopes and then save them in a fire file.

Just below the narrow dirt road where many drove, hiked and biked to enjoy  the autumn vistas, I found the remains of a log cabin. These homesteaders had a room with a view!

While hiking on Boreas Pass in Breckenridge, the elevation started at 10,000 feet. The aspens were at their peak of fall color.  With a slight rise in elevation, many had already lost their leaves. The few that remained clung to stark branches and whispered to each other in the light breeze.

When I was growing up, our family  went on Sunday drives in the countryside outside of Madison, Wisconsin. With the variety of deciduous trees, the vibrant color blazed in the rolling hills and valleys.

Here in Colorado, aspens dominate the landscape. Instead of a warm palette of golds, burnt orange and crimsons, we have the indigo mountains, purple sagebrush and towering evergreens for contrast.

Hey! The photo bomber Roxy along with Danny take break and enjoy a Colorado view.

Later in the afternoon, we hit the Eaglesmere Trail which is around 8,000 feet in elevation. At this altitude, the fall color will probably peak in the next week or two.

As the shadows began to lengthen, we headed back down the trail.

The ground cover and fallen leaves are as festive as the trees.

As an amateur photographer, I am always discovering something new like the panorama feature on my Droid phone. This is my favorite photo of the 400!

I plan to back up my phone’s photos so I am ready to capture more Colorado color next weekend.

Click on photos to enlarge.