Pictures of the Day (6/28/25) - Silverton Area

Silverton Area Wildflowers

 Columbine, Colorado's state flower

 

Columbine Closeup

Wild Iris

Picture of the Day - Durango, CO 6/28/25

 

The Durango and Silverton narrow gauge railroad the one of the major attractions in the area. This was just a chance encounter as we were about to pull into the RV camp. The railroad company has used several engines in the past and their current two were obtained from mining companies in Alaska. (KW)

Today was more of a "get settled" day and scouting trip later looking for the best spots to photograph the morning train to Silverton. Satellite imagery was used to help identify potential locations.

Pictures of the Day 6/27/25 - Spanish Peaks

Spanish Peaks are located in the San Isabel National Forest between Trinidad and La Veta, Colorado. We were camped in the small town of Stonewall just to the right and behind the rightmost peak. The town of La Veta is shown in the foreground. (KW)

Silver Mountain, northwest of La Veta in the early morning light, with a bed of yellow surrounding it. (KW)

We're now headed to Durango for a few days and will be on the alert for wildflowers and other scenery in the area along US Highway 550.
 

Pictures of the Day 6/26/25 - Sills and Dikes

Colorado Highway 12 connects Trinidad, Colorado with La Vera and is registered as a Scenic Byway. The highway skirts the western Spanish Peak and the geology is noted for the numerous volcanic dikes. We camped in the town of Stonewall, which gets its name from the large sill on each side of Highway 12. What's the difference, since both sills and dikes look similar? A sill is several layers of sedimentary rock that has been uplifted to a vertical position. A dike is volcanic magma that has pushed up through cracks in the existing rock. You can see the layers of rock in the sill images above, while the dike, captured closer to the town of La Vita is solid. Notice the colorful rock layers with the soft afternoon lighting in the sills. The dike was photographed using the telephoto feature of an iPhone 15.

Sills and Dikes in the Spanish Peaks Region

A 'sill' near the town of Stonewall, off Highway 12 (drone photo). (KW)

A 'dike' along Highway 12. (KW)

Sill and cabin near Stonewall, Colorado. (KW)

 

Picture of the Day - 6/25/25 - Colorado Highway 12 Scenic Byway

Aspens - Colorado Highway 12 Scenic Byway. We had pulled off the road for a short break near the Spanish Peaks amid several aspen groves. It was difficult to chose just one for our 'picture of the day'.  I love combining aspen trunks with other elements. We'll be staying at the Stonewall Lodge and RV Park for the next two nights. Tomorrow, we'll show you why it got that name. (KW)

 

Picture of the Day - 6/24/25

Sheila and I have started our three-week tour around Colorado’s central Rockies to take in the wildflower blooms and mountain scenery. In a past life, I owned a photography business for 15 years that offered public seminars and Sheila and I also led several fall color and wildflower tours. This time, the tour was just for the two of us! (KW)

Today, we drove from our home in Northern Colorado to just outside of Colorado Springs at Cheyenne Mountain State Park. Little chance of pictures qualifying as a best “picture of the day”, but thought to set the scene, we’ll show our “house on wheels” for the next several days. Tomorrow, we head for a location called Stonegate, west of Trinidad. Notice those clouds! Rained most of the afternoon and evening.