Aspen leaves adorned the evergreen branches and scattered along the path much like rose petals at a fall wedding.
Autumn has arrived with gorgeous landscapes and football. When deciding on whether to hike on Saturday or watch the Colorado University vs. Washington State football game, my husband Danny and I chose the great outdoors. Washington was ahead 21-7 in the first quarter when we last checked.
We chose to hike the Mesa Cortina trail to South Willow Creek Falls just outside of Silverthorne, Colorado. The round trip distance of 8.75 miles was daunting. Pfft! Surely the waterfall would appear in the first mile or two. We would watch for the landmark of a large boulder to let us know we had arrived at our destination.
We started our hike late in the day, but we expected to be back by the 4th quarter of the game.
We were drawn in by autumn’s beauty and the curiosity of what was beyond the next turn.
It couldn’t be too far anyway.
“How far is the waterfall?”
“Twenty minutes or so.”
A half-hour later we met some people walking their dogs. I asked, “How much longer to the waterfall?”
“Twenty minutes.”
The shadows were getting longer.
And longer.
NO ONE said, “Do you see those mountains out yonder? Well, the waterfall is up there on the right.”
Nor did this guy.
First I said, “Don’t shoot!” Roxy jumped backward at the sight of him and his face paint. Danny stepped on her foot and she yelped.
Then I asked, “How much further to the waterfall?”
“About twenty more minutes.” No lie. That’s what he said.
Was this the rock?
Or this one? I have no idea, but they were as blue as these photos.
We finally made it after two hours of hiking!
Danny and Roxy take a quick break.
The waterfall wasn’t very impressive, but we didn’t have a lot of time to explore. The sun was sinking fast, so we picked up the pace back to the car.
While scrambling back down the mountain, I got a call on my cell phone.
How was it possible to get cell service way out here?
My mom was screaming, “CU just won the game 35-34!” The last 10 minutes would have been fun to watch, but we would have missed all of this.
We assured her we would be careful and kept moving.
It’s official, time does fly with familiarity, hence the miscalculation of time. The trip back seemed so much faster.
We would arrive back at civilization, after a short jaunt through a spooky forest.
Complete with a spook!
The haunted month of October is just around the corner…There will be many more outdoor adventures along with a few missed football games.
Are you looking forward to October?
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Stunning!
Definitely worth missing the game for.
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Thanks Guapo!
I think it was. It won’t be long and the weather won’t permit us to go out exploring.
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Oh Susie – this is wonderful!
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Thanks JM! I am glad that you came along for the hike!
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Sounds like a great hike – and we’ve been on so many of those “it’s just around the next bend” trails!
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It was a nice hike. There was a point when it became pretty flat and only evergreen. It was boring for a mile or so, but it was worth it to see the blue granite and “aspen garden!”
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Gorgeous photos! Wow! That hasn’t happened here quite yet. Glad you didn’t get shot! 😉
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It is still early here in Boulder too. The higher the elevation, the greater the change.
I looked over at Danny and since it was getting dark, I wondered about our safety since it’s hunting season. Next time I will wear blaze orange! 🙂
Thanks Renee!
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It’s always faster on the way back! Thanks for the beautiful hike. I jumped back when I saw the “mountain man” too. Scarier than any spook!
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It was a lot quicker on the way back. It is funny how we clicked off all the landmarks; fallen trees, bridges….
The hunter was all duded up in camo and on top of his hat was something like Spanish moss. He really freaked out Roxy!
Thanks Patricia!
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What a gorgeous view! Almost 9 miles in the mountains? You guys are rockstars. I ADORE the fall foliage. Your photos are making me drool for the mountains.
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It was 9 miles round trip and believe me on the way back I was feeling every step! I am still coming off two months of resting a hamstring injury so I’m not in shape yet…If I hiked liked that 3 times a week, I would have tree trunk legs!
The color in the mountains has been the best ever since there has been little or no rain. Some is coming in this week….
Thanks Angela!
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Awesome photo essay! Love the scenery and the outstanding choice to hike! Thanks for bringing the mountains to us.
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Thanks so much SF! Every trail is lit up with fall color. I am so glad you came on the virtual hike with me today!
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Paths I would definitely like to travel.
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They are beautiful in Colorado right now! Thanks Carl!
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Great photos! I can’t wait for October b/c I’m hoping it will cool down a bit more here in windy ‘ol Kansas, then there can be more time for walks w/ the pups and pretty leaves and baking of yummy things.
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Same! We are finally going to get some much needed moisture here. Last year it snowed in September! This month has been like summer. I am ready for cooler temps too!
Thanks Emily!
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The photos are amazing! What a fun hike!!
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Thanks Audrey! It was fun. Long, but fun!
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Didn’t know you were part of the Blair Witch project! Gotta love those hunters. Or was that an early halloween costume? Oh yeah, football and the fall, calling, beckoning, that sweet siren song! And yet, like the Argonauts and Odysseus, Susie and Danny resist and flourish! Beautiful pictures.
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Hahaha! Thanks JBW. Love it!
I felt like Blair while going into that last forest. Danny yelled, “Look at those huge birds!” I looked up as I was taking a picture and got a couple of really weird photos because I was moving!
We better watch for hunters next time or go earlier in the day! He was quite a sight!
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Oh i am I am i am so looking forward to October..
some of the shots look straight out of a beautiful dream some out of a thriller but all of them a stunning..
loved the write up , it mirrors every bit of the fun you have had
hugs 🙂
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Thanks Soma! It really was another spectacular day. I ran into a photographer who said he had 1200 photos to go through after hiking that trail! I wondered if he would get outside at all for the next couple of days! Hahaha!
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Now THERE’S an ADVENTURE!!
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It was! You never know what you are going to see when on a hike!
Thanks for coming by!
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We turned off the game too early!
Went outdoors, but no blue rocks or aspens – yours was a gorgeous trip – and there was a waterfall! (Roxy has quite a bit of stamina and energy)
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That is so exciting!!! Good job you hadn’t just read The Raven Boys or maybe it’s a shame you hadn’t ha, ha, haaa! Did I miss the waterfall? Was it trickle springs lol?
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I think the dramatic part was a little further up, but the scramble with Roxy would have been hard. You can see the water behind Danny. I will have to check out Raven Boys! I love scary stories this time of year.
Thanks Catherine!
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Beautiful photos Susie!!
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Thanks Coleen! We never know what we’ll find…
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Love the second and last one and where is roxys mitt-shoes??:)
Beautiful!HUGGGGG
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I need to buy her some hiking booties! Thanks Linda! It was a great hike!
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What beautiful pictures Susie. Definitely my fave time of year. And isn’t that always the case when one is hiking??? It’s always 20 minutes to the destination. hahaha! I swear I heard the same while hiking to Snow lake in the Cascades. I think it must have taken two hours! But should have been 20 minutes.
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I am glad you could relate! I think everyone loses all sense of time when we are having fun!
Thanks so much Karista!
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Wow, these photos are beautiful. What a gorgeous hike, but that’s funny that everyone said 20 more minutes! Glad you made it back before dark!
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It was really dark, but we made it!
That was the funniest thing. I kept looking at Danny and he would check his watch and say, “Let’s see where we are in 20 minutes.” That was the longest 20 minutes ever!
Thanks so much Lynn!
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The colours Susie! They sing of life.
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They do! It has been a spectacular fall season in the mountains. It is just starting to change down here…
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OH! You need a L-O-V-E button for your photo essays, Susie.
I am so glad you chose the hike over the football game. It was what it was with or without your eyes on the tube. But, those pictures…
Priceless.
*sob* How I miss Colorado. On future hikes, keep a lookout for a spot that would accommodate a deluxe tree house for writing. I have it designed in my noggin. National forest, you say? Heck! I pay federal income tax. Surely I’ve paid enough to borrow a tree.
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I am sure you can borrow one!
I will find the perfect spot for your tree house Gloria. I bet there are all kinds of “stands” built by hunters like the one we met!
Thanks so much for the L-O-V-E!!!
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Such a beautiful state, certainly better to be out there than setting at home in front of the box. 😉
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Exactly. There will always be more and we go to the all of the home games anyway!
I am hoping to get out to the Rocky Mountain National Park and see the elk before the snow flies! 🙂 Thanks John!
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What did all these “20 minutes” add up to, Susie, about two million minutes? From my POV it was well worth it for these terrific images but had I been on that long hike with you, I would have been air lifted out.
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It was hilarious after a while. “Just 20 more minutes….. really!!”
There were a couple of times when we looked up on our way out and saw planes passing overhead. I asked Danny if a “sag wagon” would be coming by for me. I was really feeling it during the last hour of the 4 since we went at a good pace during the whole hike. If I could only hike like that 3 times a week, I would really be in shape!
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Or in the ICU.
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Terrific photo journalism. I was right there with you. I do love waterfalls and we were fortunate to have a small one almost out our back door in Oregon. Roxie is a brave little dog. I bet you couldn’t make her stay home from from any of your adventures.
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Mother Nature trumps football always. Great shots, keep them coming. Think coffee table book; What I Saw Walking Around.
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