Mountaintop Tree

I found this photogenic tree on top of a little local mountain I climbed with the dogs, elevation a little over 9,000 feet or 2,740 meters above sea level. It had clearly been struck by lightning many years in the past.

Skywatch Friday

Above the Clouds

When we got to the top of Mount Herman, it was amazing to have a sea of clouds below us.

Morning clouds are fairly rare in this part of the world, so this was an unexpected pleasure.

The dogs and I loved this hike, and I thought these photos would be perfect for Skywatch Friday, photos from the sky!

Mount Herman Road

I recently went for a hike up a nearby mountain, Mount Herman. To get to the trailhead you take a dirt road along the side of the mountain, and it started out foggy.

But I climbed out of the clouds, and looking back it was a lovely sight.

This shot more clearly shows you the road where I had been driving a few minutes before.

The trail up the mountain is quite steep in places.

In fact at times it doesn't seem like a trail at all!

Come back in a couple of days and I'll show you some photos from the top. In the meantime visit Our World Tuesday for lots of other views of our incredible world.

King and Queen of the Mountain

We climbed a nearby mountain this morning, a little over 9,040 feet high (2.75 km).

People asked if my little dogs really climbed all the way up. Of course they did, scrambling up a few rocks when necessary, and they enjoyed every minute. If I'm getting my hiking gear ready they won't let me leave the house without them!

Camera Critters

Pets Forever

Saturday's Critters

Mount Herman

I'm going back to last July for this blog post, when a group of us climbed nearby Mount Herman. I always enjoy seeing this meadow about half way up.

Closer to the top I found this dead tree, which I though made an interesting contrast to the never-ending forest in the background.

Here's a view in the other direction from the top, towards civilization.

Here we're starting to go back down the trail. Notice my little buddy Socks ready to start scrambling down some rocks!

And of course I have to throw in a photo looking towards the famous Pikes Peak.

And another  in the same direction, this time showing the trail.

You can find lots more beautiful photos on the Scenic Weekends meme.

Mount Herman Climb

Here are some photos from a summer climb up 9,063-foot-high (2,825 meters) Mount Herman, one of the local mountains not many miles from our house. First, a view up a rocky section of the trail.

Next, a view from the top down a dead section of forest.

Here's a view from the top over a rock.

And finally, a wildflower seen on the hike.

To see other posts from Mount Herman hikes, click on the Mount Herman tag below this post. For lots more scenic photos, visit the wonderful Scenic Sunday meme.

Ladybug, Ladybug, Where Are You?

Apparently they're on top of Mount Herman, where they were in swarms this summer!

On the way down I ran into this heading up - I don't remember what it was.

And those are my Camera Critters for this week!

Paraglider

A couple of months ago I posted a picture from the top of Mount Herman, and I mentioned that I had some older photos of paragliders taken from the top. I dug them out, and here they are. They are from September 2007, and they'll make an appropriate Skywatch Friday post.

For a paraglider, the term "takeoff run" is literal, as they run to get lift. In this case, they run off the top of the mountain, over a cliff. It takes more guts than I'd have - in fact, one of them almost crashed because he didn't get enough lift. However, this one had a perfect takeoff.

For more photos featuring the sky as a background, visit the Skywatch Friday meme.

Skywatch Friday - Windsock

I recently climbed a local mountain, Mount Herman (elevation 9,063 feet, or 2,825 meters). It's a popular place for paragliders, but there weren't any this time, although I have some photos from a couple of years ago that I'll post before too long. This week's Skywatch Friday post was taken at the top, where someone has installed a good windsock to aid those adventurous souls.

To answer a couple of recent questions:

1. I'm not an expert on Yellowstone, but I believe it's buildups of various minerals (including sulfur, which is quite noticeable in the air) that causes the incredible colors in the pools and hot springs.

2. The green light from my first night shot in the July 21 post is from a house about a mile away. I don't know what causes the color.

3. A while back someone had asked if my little dog Socks actually walks on the hikes, or whether I carry him or put him in my backpack. Usually he walks the whole way, even on long hikes (he's hiked more than 6 miles with me and been ready to play when we get back home). On occasion he has to be picked up over the biggest steps, but he's very sure-footed even on steep terrain.

Skywatch Friday - Cloudy Mount Herman

We finally had some rainy weather move in late last week - it's rare not to see the sun, but we only caught a few peeks of it over the weekend. This week's Skywatch Friday post shows the clouds moving in over Mount Herman (elevation 9,063 feet, or 2,825 meters), which is visible over the ridge, its summit obscured. It's not a spectacular photo but I think but it's pretty in its own way; I'll post more photos from this hike before long.

I'm sure I'll climb it again this summer, as its one of my favorite local hikes. Thanks to the Skywatch Friday team for bringing us this great meme every week, please visit the main Skywatch Friday page for lots of great photos.

Mount Herman

West of the town of Monument rises Mount Herman, and I recently climbed it. It's about a 2-mile round trip. After parking next to a dirt road, the trail starts climbing up a valley.

The flowers were out in force.

The trail quickly leaves the valley and starts climbing up the ridge.

It passes through a picturesque meadow.

The trail becomes steeper, climbing up a very rocky section.

And it finally deposits you on the mountaintop, where you have views to the east that go on forever, and nice views of the unspoiled wilderness to the west. The red flag is a wind sock for the hangliders that take off from the mountaintop, although there weren't any this time.

Here's the Air Force Academy.

Here's one of the local lakes and the outskirts of Monument.

There were thousands of ladybugs out on the top.

I thought the shape of this dead tree was unusual.

The clouds were starting to build so it was time to head down. Literally as soon as I got back to the car I heard the first thunder, so I left at just the right time.

And finally, here's a view of the road that takes you to the trail head. It's a dirt road with no guardrails.