Autumn In Phantom Canyon

[MountainMan]

My wife and I drove the Phantom Canyon Sunday - the grade of the old Florence and Cripple Creek RR - to see the fall colors. It was magnificent! Reds, Yellows, Aspen Golds, Rusts and Greens in profusion! It's the very best time of year in the High Country! Not a soul around and for a brief period, we were transported back in time, imagining that the wail of the wind whistling around the rocks and crags was the forlorn sound of a train whistle echoing through the canyon once more.

[dwight77]

Hi MountainMan:
NO PICTURES????
Us guys in southwest Florida like to see fall colors.
dwight77

[MountainMan]

I used to post pics, but not enough interest to make it worth while here; however, since you asked, here's one taken on the way back:

[yellowlynn]

Mountainman, shame,shame. One stinkin' color, and you talk about reds, rusts, golden aspens, and greens. How could you do that to us?

Lynn

[MountainMan]

Mountainman, shame,shame. One stinkin' color, and you talk about reds, rusts, golden aspens, and greens. How could you do that to us?

Lynn

Crybaby... 8-)

[yellowlynn]

THANKS! I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT! Those are beautiful.

Lynn

[RobertInOntario]

As an official fall colour fan, those are excellent pics!

Are those Red Maples & Sugar Maples giving off the bright reds? That's the case here in Ontario. At the end of September, I took some good shots in Algonquin Park as well as around some of the trails just outside of Toronto. In general, I think our fall colours were muted and duller this year -- possibly due to our dry & hot July (which may have stressed the trees). Algonquin peaked at the end of September while many of the areas outside of Toronto peaked about a week ago.

I'll try to post some pix later.

Rob

[nachoman]

Wow MM! Those are your photos from the other day? EXCELLENT!

[MountainMan]

As an official fall colour fan, those are excellent pics!

Are those Red Maples & Sugar Maples giving off the bright reds? That's the case here in Ontario. At the end of September, I took some good shots in Algonquin Park as well as around some of the trails just outside of Toronto. In general, I think our fall colours were muted and duller this year -- possibly due to our dry & hot July (which may have stressed the trees). Algonquin peaked at the end of September while many of the areas outside of Toronto peaked about a week ago.

I'll try to post some pix later.

Rob

No - we don't have maples naturally in the High Country.

Those are a form of poplar, sumacs and some types of cottonwoods that do that. And for some reason, a few of the aspens turn that beautiful red as well. Soil type, perhaps?

[RobertInOntario]

As an official fall colour fan, those are excellent pics!
Are those Red Maples & Sugar Maples giving off the bright reds? That's the case here in Ontario. At the end of September, I took some good shots in Algonquin Park as well as around some of the trails just outside of Toronto. In general, I think our fall colours were muted and duller this year -- possibly due to our dry & hot July (which may have stressed the trees). Algonquin peaked at the end of September while many of the areas outside of Toronto peaked about a week ago.
I'll try to post some pix later.
Rob

No - we don't have maples naturally in the High Country.

Those are a form of poplar, sumacs and some types of cottonwoods that do that. And for some reason, a few of the aspens turn that beautiful red as well. Soil type, perhaps?

Interesting! Yes, I thought that Sugar Maples & Red Maples were generally limited to the NE USA and Canada (especially New England, Ontario & Quebec). They can show some very bright reds if the conditions are right. Other trees -- such as Aspen, Birch, Oak, Dogwood, etc. -- generally turn yellow.

It's interesting to know that there are other species of trees that turn bright red in other parts of North America.

I've read that the colour change is due to chlorophyll, fewer hours of daylight, and possibly triggered by cool night-time temperatures.

BTW, we do get bright red Sumacs here but they are basically bushes, not growing that tall. They look great constrasted against bright yellow Birch & Aspen trees.

[dwight77]

Hi Mountainman:
Great photos, great color. We have light green, medium green, dark green, lighter green, and darker green in Florida.
dwight77