Aspens in Wolf Creek Pass

Photos taken in Wolf Creek Pass, Utah -- Fall 2012

The aspens near the summit of Wolf Creek Pass, Utah were golden with some turning orange in the late afternoon sun. A careful look at the hill in the sunlight shows the swath cut through the trees for the natural gas pipeline.

It's seems to be more common in the mountains these days to see the aspen trees turning not only gold, but also shades of orange and red.

Wolf Creek Pass road winds over the western end of the Uinta Mountains between the small towns of Hanna and Kamas, Utah. It's a beautiful drive any time of the year, but particularly in the fall.

The golds of the aspens were spectacular when contrasted with the dark green of the fir trees.

This last one has been modified as "digital art" using one of the Photoshop filters.

Elephant Toes and other great spots in Dinosaur National Monument

There is more to see in Dinosaur National Monument than the dinosaur bones.

 Elephant Toes, an erosional oddity in the Nugget Sandstone of Dinosaur National Monument along the Cub Creek road.

The Green River at Split Mountain campground and picnic area in Dinosaur National Monument. The red rocks in the middle of the photo are the Triassic Moenkopi Formation. The large white rounded mountain to the left is Permian Weber Sandstone, and the ridge of sandstone on the right above the red beds is the Garta Member of the Triassic Chinle Formation.

Here in the foreground the prominent sandstone outcrops on the left side belong to the Gartra Member of the Chinle Formation. The central reddish saddle is the upper unnamed member of the Chinle Formation (lower half of the saddle) and what we are calling the Bell Springs Formation (upper half of saddle). The prominent sandstone on the right that caps the red beds is the Nugget Sandstone.

Tan Nugget Sandstone contrasts with the whiter Weber Sandstone in this photo taken along the Cub Creek Road in Dinosaur National Monument.

Permian Weber Sandstone outcrops along the Green River at Split Mountain campground and picnic area in Dinosaur National Monument.

Triassic Gartra Member of Chinle Formation along road to Split Mountain campground, Dinosaur National Monument.

These last three photos were taken in 2002 on an earlier trip to Dinosaur and are re-posted here from an earlier blog.

Folded Weber Sandstone as viewed from the Blue Mountain road just south of Dinosaur National Monument.

View of the Green River from Harper's Corner in Dinosaur National Monument.

View of Echo Park, the junction of the Yampa and Green Rivers, from Harper's Corner in Dinosaur National Monument.