Beautiful Day Hike

From Grape Creek TH via Rainbow Trail and some bushwhack. Overlooks Music Creek valley with Milwaukee Peak in center and Marble Mtn to right, and Music Mtn to left. San Isabel NF, near Westcliffe, CO. 

From the Comanche/Venable Rainbow trail loop. San Isabel NF, near Westcliffe, CO. 

BLM land near Westcliffe, CO. 

Namesake colors from the White Hills. Near Westcliffe, CO.

BLM land near Westcliffe, CO. 

Hiking runs from abandoned ski area. Via Rainbow Trail from Venable TH. San Isabel, NF. Near Westcliffe, CO.   

Off 402/634 in Greenhorn area. San Isabel NF. Near Gardner, CO. 

San Isabel NF, near Gardner, CO. 

Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Area. San Isabel NF, near Westcliffe, CO.

Continental Divide trail from Monarch Pass. Near Salida, CO. 

Sangre de Cristo Mountains from Deer Peak, Wet Mountains. San Isabel NF, near Westcliffe, CO. 

Via Jeep trail on Hermit Rd. San Isabel NF, near Westcliffe, CO. 

Via Swift Creek trail. Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Area, San Isabel NF. Near Westcliffe, CO. 

Mild evening above Westcliffe, CO. Sangre de Cristo mountains and San Isabel NF to the west. 

Beautiful trip around and through the Sierra Nevada mountains in early summer.  Lots of snow at the higher elevations and the creeks and rivers were raging!  The Central Valley was in full growing mode with all the water available. 1877 miles driven and 130 miles hiked over 16 days, 10 miles or so on snowshoes!  Plus a wedding shower for my daughter in Reno! Return visit to Golden Trout Wilderness via Horseshoe Meadow.  Road had just opened in mid-June.

John Muir Wilderness, Inyo NF. Near Lone Pine, CA. 

Cottonwood Creek. Inyo NF, near Lone Pine, CA. 

Near Independence, CA. 

John Muir Wilderness, Inyo NF. Near Independence, CA. 

Inyo NF, near Mammoth Lakes, CA. 

Inyo NF, near Mammoth Lakes, CA. 

Washoe Golf Course, Reno, NV. 

Trailhead in Reno, NV. 

Loop Trail at Galena Creek. Near Reno, NV. 

Lake Tahoe vista. Tahoe NF, near Incline Village, NV. 

View of Mt Rose and Slide Mountain. Reno, NV. 

Stanislaus NF, near Kennedy Meadows, CA. 

Donnell Reservoir, Middle Fork Stanislaus River. Stanislaus NF, near Strawberry, CA. 

Snowshoe motherlode! Between ski area and Gianelli. Stanislaus NF, near Pinecrest, CA. 

Above Niagara Creek, on Eagle Meadows Rd. Stanislaus NF, near Strawberry, CA.