The Crags photos

Photos taken on the Crags trail west of Colorado Springs, May 28, 2007.

Kaeru the frog poses at the trailhead. As the sign hints, there were, indeed, many hikers with dogs on this trail on a holiday weekend.

The beginning of the trail follows Fourmile Creek up through the pine forest. Note the snow under the trees.

Soon enough the trail opened up into a flat valley and the creek turned into a series of bogs.

These white flowers were growing in patches along the trail. They reminded me of candytufts, and I guess that's what they are -- wild candytuft.

Here are more of the same white flowers. These are more open than the ones in the previous photo.

Marsh marigolds were blooming in the wet ground near the edges of the bog.

I thought this was a bee on the marigold when I took this photo, but it's actually a hoverfly.

There were also a lot of neat rock formations along this section of trail.

I thought this formation looked like a giant ant. For the geologically inclined, this rock is known as the Pike's Peak granite.

Yet another rock formation. At this point, the trail abruptly left the flat stream valley and started climbing up a tree- and snow-filled gully....

...finally emerging at this saddle with a steep drop on the opposite (north) side.

The trail continues on the ridge past this big pile of rocks.

Twisted pines just below the summit. This is my favorite photo from this hike.

Looking west from the summit at another craggy outcropping. The white line of mountains barely visible in the distance are the Collegiate Peaks -- my destination for the next day's hike.

Looking south from the summit, this is the back side of Pike's Peak.

Now we're looking north from the summit at the Catamount lakes (which you can hike to from the other side by way of Green Mountain Falls).

Kaeru takes in the view at the top.

This is looking back across the saddle. I thought the rocks on the other side looked like Easter Island moai statues, but it also looks like a giant left hand sticking out of the mountain.

On the way back down, here's a look back up the trail at the cone-shaped pile of rocks also visible in the bog view photo near the beginning of the hike.

Getting back towards the trailhead, I made a detour a short way down a side trail to investigate the stream. This side trail actually continues all the way up to the top of Pike's Peak.

Kaeru contemplates going for a swim to cool off at the end of a long hop!

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	Kaeru the frog poses at the trailhead. As the sign hints, there were, indeed, many hikers with dogs on this trail on a holiday weekend.
	The beginning of the trail follows Fourmile Creek up through the pine forest. Note the snow under the trees.
	Soon enough the trail opened up into a flat valley and the creek turned into a series of bogs.
	These white flowers were growing in patches along the trail. They reminded me of candytufts, and I guess that's what they are -- wild candytuft.
	Here are more of the same white flowers. These are more open than the ones in the previous photo.
	Marsh marigolds were blooming in the wet ground near the edges of the bog.
	I thought this was a bee on the marigold when I took this photo, but it's actually a hoverfly.
	There were also a lot of neat rock formations along this section of trail.
	I thought this formation looked like a giant ant. For the geologically inclined, this rock is known as the Pike's Peak granite.
	Yet another rock formation. At this point, the trail abruptly left the flat stream valley and started climbing up a tree- and snow-filled gully....
	...finally emerging at this saddle with a steep drop on the opposite (north) side.
	The trail continues on the ridge past this big pile of rocks.
	Twisted pines just below the summit. This is my favorite photo from this hike.
	Looking west from the summit at another craggy outcropping. The white line of mountains barely visible in the distance are the Collegiate Peaks -- my destination for the next day's hike.
	Looking south from the summit, this is the back side of Pike's Peak.
	Now we're looking north from the summit at the Catamount lakes (which you can hike to from the other side by way of Green Mountain Falls).
	Kaeru takes in the view at the top.
	This is looking back across the saddle. I thought the rocks on the other side looked like Easter Island moai statues, but it also looks like a giant left hand sticking out of the mountain.
	On the way back down, here's a look back up the trail at the cone-shaped pile of rocks also visible in the bog view photo near the beginning of the hike.
	Getting back towards the trailhead, I made a detour a short way down a side trail to investigate the stream. This side trail actually continues all the way up to the top of Pike's Peak.
	Kaeru contemplates going for a swim to cool off at the end of a long hop!