Dateline: Colorado, September 20 & 21, 2014
The fall colors are at their peak in the high country throughout Park County according to Jerry and Pam Fields. These photos were taken over the weekend at and around their lot at 179 Sanderling Court located south of the hamlet of Como.
“Reds” along Elkhorn Ranch Road
Rieneker Ridge from The Lot
Driveway into 179 Sanderling
View over South Park
The Fields’ RV is nicknamed “The Box”
Turn right to enter Sanderling Court
Pam Fields walks her 3 dogs, Blondie, Bru, and Jo in their aspen grove
Aspen at height of color season
Its hard to leave The Box and return to the city during “color season”
Although the color season will run for another two or three weeks, both Jerry and Pam agreed this weekend was the high point for color. “Although there are still some green aspen, it won’t be long until the leaves begin to fall and create bare spots on the hills.” said Pam. Jerry added that “Now is the best time to get out and see the broad swaths of colors on the hills and ridges.”
We agree.
This year’s colors have a good deal more red in them than normal, it seems. Due to the cool spring and wetter-than-average August the trees produced more sugar to support late summer growth. Anthocyanins are produced during these “lots of sugar-lots of light” conditions—and then, with the very cool evenings, the veins of the leaves gradually close—leaving behind the gorgeous reds. (Carotenoid pigments, also present, turn other leaves yellow.) At any rate, the annual color change provides vistas of reds, yellows, and greens for us to view and enjoy.
The color season generally runs through the second week in October. A check of the aspen around Vail reveals around 50 percent of them have changed color but a sizeable number of areas are still green or just beginning to change. Vibrant colors are now a common sight but they won’t last long; get out now and enjoy the season!
(End dateline.)
That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!