Maroon Bells

I've been to Maroon Bells many times, last time was 2008, and here is the Maroon Lake with the Bells behind it Aug 28th 2008...

here it is Sept 6, 2017

The Weather is always iffy up there...today it was hazy with poor visibility from the same smoke I been referring to the past few posts from fires in Montana, Oregon, and maybe Canada don't know how much is under control now...

the Aspens are turning

Now a days they run a bus up it leaves from Aspen Highlands, and it runs every 15 or 20 mins or if you wait and go up after 5 pm or before 8 am, you can drive your car and if you have the Golden Age Pass you get in free...if not it's $10 and the bus ride is $5 or 10 not sure.

 think the lakes looks lower this year. Compare 

2017

2008

There's all sorts of trails, a couple of campgrounds, and lots of spots to explore...we didn't spend a lot of time Mom came along and she got in a Mood and didn't want to be there at all!! 

Until this guy showed up!!

Boy he sneaked up on everyone...he trotted right in front of our car where we were parked...right behind the pit toilets, then in the edge of the woods..and out into the meadow...

then plowed right past the tourists to the lake...

totally forgot to get a video of him...the long "thing" under the neck of the bull moose is called a Bell or Dewlap...cow moose have one too but it's not as big. What's the purpose of it? No one really knows!  Your Hypothesis?

As you see he has only one antler...It would be cool to hike the trails and find a moose antler!

He was really thirsty or hungry or both!

This Moose was huge! And tho my photos don't show it his coat was glossy when the sun would peek through the clouds and haze.   

What a treat I have't seen one since Yellowstone, 1998, and Alaska 1999! 

The ride up to the Bells is just as beautiful and exciting as getting there..

a little sun was here and there...and then I had to brake for this...right in the road and another on the verge...

The Blue Grouse has been split, this is now the Dusky Grouse...this one a female. 

NEW tic for my life list since they split it!  We wanted her to spread that tail but she didn't. 

You will pass The T Lazy 7 Ranch on the road up to the Bells, Maroon Creek Rd.  You can go for a horse back ride here my son did that when he was 8 yrs old! He rode a mule, he had a blast!  They have other bits of interest along the road too...in case of fire they're prepared...

Notice the siren on the front above the bumper...how cool!

I would love to own something like this truck...just for the heck of it...

This one has a current plate on it!  A Model T?  John Boy Walton had one of these...original paint...awesome!!

Snowmass Monastery 

It was getting late so we headed home....

Once again the sun was doing some awesome things...with the smoke 

Hwy 82 heading west

Back at Home what an awesome sunset  we had! 

Dedicated to the memory of all the FDNY Firefighters whose lives were taken on 9/11/2001 

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.