Ptarmigan Peak Trail

It's an amazing season for fall foliage here in Colorado -- the best in recent memory. So I'm trying to squeeze in as many trips to as many different places as I can while things are peaking. Yesterday, that meant the Ptarmigan Peak Trail in Summit County.

One of the great things about a lot of Summit County hikes is that they're very easy to get to, usually pretty close to I-70.  That can also be a drawback, as you can hear the traffic from the highway and see signs of the civilization that you're typically trying to get away from.  Still, the view down to Silverthorne and Lake Dillon from the trailhead is pretty beautiful.

The aspens here were definitely peaking.  And providing a nice rule-of-thirds image.

The forecast called for a mix of clouds and sun, and that was definitely the case.

Those conditions forced me to work a little harder than I had on the Ben Tyler Trail last week, as the light was constantly changing.  A break in the clouds created some nice contrast on this section of the trail.

I was fortunate to have good light when I reached this view to the west.

I love how these trees are still leafed out, but the trail is also covered in a golden carpet of its own.

The trail alternates nicely between thick forest and scenic overlooks.

Another great view to the southwest, though a little more subdued with the sun behind some clouds.

I kept climbing as long as I could before I needed to turn back to be in time to meet Taryn when she got home from school.  Fortunately, I'd gotten high enough to now have a great view to the north.  There's quite a bit of beetle-kill pines along the entirety of the trail, whose gray skeletons don't add much to the scenery.

I only stopped in one small section of forest on the return trip where the aspens were quite dense and situated on a hill extending down from the trail, which provided a different perspective.

The handful of pine trees scattered among the aspens here were covered in yellow leaves, looking like some Green Bay Packers fan's Christmas tree.

Follow the Yellow Leaf Road!

The requisite straight-up shot.  Something about these views always makes me a little queasy.

A solid hike, and I caught the aspens at a great time.  The development visible from the overlooks and the abundance of beetle-kill pines do detract a bit from its beauty.  But the trailhead being about two minutes from a Wendy's sure helped my grumbling stomach when I was done!