Memorial Day

We headed up into the Eldorado for Memorial Day.  We decided to check-out the Caples Creek area off the Silver Fork Road, about an hour from our apartment.  

There were snow plants everywhere.  They were popping up like crazy!  This drab, colorless forest floor and then this brilliant splash of red.  I love snow plants!

More wildflowers showing off in one of the meadows we hiked through.

 A lovely alpine lake we hiked by.

Green meadow.

 If there was one word to describe this hike it would be water.  It was everywhere.  It was flowing, it was fast, it was powerful.  Caples Creek was more a roaring river than a gentle creek.  The water in the next few pictures is coursing so fast it looks more like a lingering patch of snow.

There were places where the trail was hard to follow because there area was flooded.  There were places where the trail itself was a happy babbling brook.  It made navigation exciting.

At one point, the trail crosses Caples Creek.  This trail is managed for equestrian use, which means horses easily ford the creek and humans get a little wet, aka - no bridge.  

....when the creek is a fast moving body of cold snow melt....

We found a very convenient log to use to get across.  It was extremely nerve wracking but we made it to the other side.

 Gil meditating (and levitating) to bring the nerves back into check.

It was a lovely day and a lovely hike.  Always good to explore the new office!