Montgomery Pass & lots of butterflies (Rocky Mountain Parnassian & the Northern Blue Butterfly)

Views from the pass:

The Montgomery pass hike starts with a swampy muddy area (perhaps due to recent weather) then runs along a stream for a ways before heading up and up.

 The stream was a good place to get the mud off of their feet.

 The Indian Paintbrush were out in full force with almost every color available for your viewing pleasure.

Marsh Marigold:

 Cow Parsnip:

  Groundsel

 Tall Chiming Bells:

 Bitter Cress:

 The saucy one and the rest of us made it to the top.

 I don't think I've seen so many butterflies/moths in the tundra before.  Look at the variety!
Rocky Mountain Parnassian

Northern Blue Butterfly (Plebejus idas):

Yellow Stonecrop:

 After the hike we stopped in the stream by the side of the road across from the parking lot to clean our feet and just relax.

 Yellow Monkeyflower:

 These strawberries were growing right next to the side of the road!  I didn't know they could grow at 10,000 ft.  I couldn't figure out why some bird or animal hadn't eaten them.

Hike: Montgomery Pass
Trails Used: Montgomery Pass around Cameron Pass

Distance: 4.33 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Overall average: 1.9 mph
Overall Time: 2 hr, 17 min
Total Ascent: 1152 ft.

Finally, a real hike again: Horsetooth Falls

Don't let the above shot fool you...there wasn't that much water coming down the falls.  If you expect to see more water then the optimum time to go to Horsetooth Falls for a hike would be in May.  There were many wildflowers in bloom (which is nice since Flora Hiker has been lacking on the wildflower pictures lately).

Sulpher Flower:

Sun Rose:

Rocky Mountain Beeplant/Scarlet Guara

Tufted Loco/Vetch:

Boulder Raspberry:

These were beautiful flowers (below) but once you take a picture of wildflowers from far away you start to lose that 'beautiful' quality.

My little hikers:

Wallflower:

Wallflower:

Geranium:

Wallflower:

Horsetooth Falls:

Enjoying the top of the falls for lunch:

Spiderwort:

Evening Primrose:

Aster:

Milkvetch:

Groundsel:

Prairie Cinquefoil:

Orchid Penstemon:

Vetch:

Hike: Horsetooth Falls

Trails Used:  Horsetooth Falls

Distance: 2.91 miles

Difficulty: Easy for adults, Moderate for children (can get hot out there so start early)

Overall average: 1.7 mph

Overall Time: 1 hrs, 44 min

Total Ascent: 583 ft.