Uploads from kerch, with geodata

Father's Day Summit

nobody@flickr.com (kerch) — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 08:20:36 -0700

kerch posted a photo:

From the top of South Boulder Peak looking west towards the Continental Divide.

South Boulder Creek

nobody@flickr.com (kerch) — Wed, 29 May 2013 07:18:21 -0700

kerch posted a photo:

South Boulder Creek running fast and loud from recent snowmelt.

Skunk

nobody@flickr.com (kerch) — Fri, 17 May 2013 09:05:02 -0700

kerch posted a photo:

Just got started with my morning hike at the South Mesa Trailhead when I spotted a rock in the middle of a field that started to move. After a second or two I noticed the tell-tale white stripes on black. I approached cautiously and made it to about twenty feet away to take a picture or two. After a few moments, the skunk spotted me (which indicates how cautiously I had approached), thought about me for about a half second, then emitted a rather displeased sound and raised his tail. I withdrew in haste, and once back on the trail, saw the little fella had gone back to happily rooting in the field.

Wildflowers

nobody@flickr.com (kerch) — Fri, 17 May 2013 09:05:43 -0700

kerch posted a photo:

Spotted along the Upper Big Bluestream trail. Good to see Spring is finally arriving after so much snow in April.

Chirp

nobody@flickr.com (kerch) — Fri, 17 May 2013 09:05:52 -0700

kerch posted a photo:

This little fellow did not seem to mind my presence as I stopped to catch my breath and take his picture. He (I'm assuming the male of the species due to some decent coloring, but don't know for sure) kept chirping happily away and I wondered for a moment if perhaps Julie Andrews wasn't somewhere nearby.

Dawn Patrol

nobody@flickr.com (kerch) — Fri, 10 May 2013 08:18:27 -0700

kerch posted a photo:

...as seen by my subpar iphone camera. Closing in on a year since I moved to Colorado. This morning was the first time I've made myself get up and get out for an early morning hike. I'll call it dawn patrol, although by definition I was a little late for it, hitting the trailhead after the sun had crested the great plains. This was taken at the Rattlesnake Gulch Trail's Continental Divide Overlook, but faces east, out of Eldorado Canyon and towards the plains.

Saw some mule deer this morning, a large ptarmigan-looking bird (that I'm pretty sure was not a ptarmigan.) Also, startled to the point of shouting out by a bird of some sort that flew from a nearby tree in a flurry of flapping wings. Nice view of the continental divide this morning, although again my iphone could not do it justice.

Last Night On The Homestead Trail

nobody@flickr.com (kerch) — Fri, 03 May 2013 05:28:32 -0700

kerch posted a photo:

Quick loop on the Homestead & Mesa Trails in Boulder OSMP. Turned around for this shot once I got some elevation. A lot of snow left over from May 1st. In the distance can be seen wind turbines belonging to the National Wind Technology Center.

Time For A Stretch

nobody@flickr.com (kerch) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 06:46:33 -0700

kerch posted a photo:

It took us nearly nine hours to reach the Swell after rerouting to avoid sections of I-70 that were closed by snowfall. Snow also slowed us down across the mountains in CO, adding an extra ~2 1/2 hours to the day's driving. When we reached the Swell, it was high time to get out of the car and get our shoes dirty with some red Utah dust.

This photo was taken at the turnout just east of the Swell along I-70. We climbed a short hill to get a look around, in this case looking eastwise towards Green River and the Book Cliffs.

2013-03-23_17.40.25_UT-SanRafaelSwell

Loner

nobody@flickr.com (kerch) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 13:22:06 -0700

kerch posted a photo:

Neat little spot to tighten the boots, grab a bite, hydrate, and check out Golden. Getting ready to descend the Mount Galbraith loop (counter-clockwise) at this point.
First time on this trail. I was quite pleased with it for a training hike: fair elevation gain, plenty of smooth trail, it wee bit of rock scrambling, a bit of almost-exposure, and just enough length to do some good without stirring up trouble at home ;-)

Homegrown

nobody@flickr.com (kerch) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 10:44:38 -0700

kerch posted a photo:

Our first produce from our first vegetable garden: three kinds of greens. Hopefully in a month or so we'll have a nice mix of vegetables to toss in there.

South Boulder Creek

nobody@flickr.com (kerch) — Wed, 29 May 2013 07:18:31 -0700

kerch posted a photo:

South Boulder Creek running loud and fast from snowmelt.

Last Night On The Homestead Trail

nobody@flickr.com (kerch) — Fri, 03 May 2013 05:28:39 -0700

kerch posted a photo:

Quick loop on the Homestead & Mesa Trails in Boulder OSMP. Whole lotta mud from snow melt, but up here, on the north side of a ridge, the snow was semi-frozen and crunchy.

Last Night On The Homestead Trail

nobody@flickr.com (kerch) — Fri, 03 May 2013 05:28:26 -0700

kerch posted a photo:

Quick loop on the Homestead & Mesa Trails in Boulder OSMP. Surprised a family of deer whilst chugging up hill (or, rather, they surprised me, as they probably heard my boots splattering in mud from half a mile away.) Thought I was back in Pennsylvania for a moment.

Dang iphone camera can't really capture them. Really should purchase a decent pocket camera for training hikes..

Brotherly Love

nobody@flickr.com (kerch) — Thu, 02 May 2013 11:42:57 -0700

kerch posted a photo:

A note from my kindergartener to my pre-schooler...a little brotherly advice.

Titanic

nobody@flickr.com (kerch) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 06:37:58 -0700

kerch posted a photo:

Seen from the Black Dragon turnout on I-70 just west of Spotted Wolf Canyon. A placard indicated that this was the Head of Sinbad, but after a bit of reading, I believe that that is the name given to the general area (as well as a unique pictograph in one of its canyons.) I couldn't find a reference to the particular formation.

2013-03-23_17.56.00_UT-SanRafaelSwell

Swell Spill

nobody@flickr.com (kerch) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 06:46:32 -0700

kerch posted a photo:

I-70 spills out of the San Rafael Swell as id descends Spotted Wolf Canyon west of Green River, Utah.

2013-03-23_17.37.06_UT-SanRafaelSwell

Golden From Galbraith

nobody@flickr.com (kerch) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 13:22:20 -0700

kerch posted a photo:

Overlooking Golden, Colorado from the Mt Galbraith Loop.

Cool Off

nobody@flickr.com (kerch) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 08:53:14 -0700

kerch posted a photo:

Emma sheds layers near the top of the climb out of Mayhem Gulch.

2013-03-10_12.43.24_CO-ClearCreekCanyonPark

Lego X-Wing

nobody@flickr.com (kerch) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 17:02:35 -0700

kerch posted a photo:

Me and RHK spent a couple of hours building the X-Wing...good times. Had to take a turn flying it around the house.

Shadow Canyon South

nobody@flickr.com (kerch) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:37:44 -0700

kerch posted a photo:

Warming temps, had to get on the trail. Today: 4.6 miles figure eight at the southern end of Boulder OSMP. Starting at South Mesa Trailhead -> Towhee, Shadow Canyon South, Shadow Canyon North, Mesa, then back to trailhead via Homestead. It was my first time on the Shadow Canyon North section; really muddy, but got high enough to see Denver peaking over the eastern bluffs.

This one taken on Shadow Canyon South near the old cabin / ruins. From the end of Towhee to the junction at Shadow Canyon the trail is a smoothly graded gravel road. No mud!