Author Topic: Outing Announcement: Wildflower Photography at Silver Dollar Lake, 19 July 2008  (Read 3867 times)

keithsnell

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1407
How about a wildflower photography "outing" to Silver Dollar Lake near Georgetown/Guanella Pass? 

(An "outing" is an informal excursion and great opportunity to meet other photographers in our area, make new friends, and share photography tips.  It's not a "workshop" or "photo tour," so there are no fees, and no formal instruction.  However, we always enjoy talking about our photography passion, so if you have questions or would like photography tips during the outing, please don't hesitate to ask.)

I've been looking for a good wildflower photography location within reasonable distance of Colorado Springs for a "day trip," and believe that Silver Dollar Lake would be a great location for a wildflower photography outing.  Pamela Irwin describes this short hike in her book "Colorado's Best Wildflower Hikes, the Front Range," as "a movable feast of nearly 100 wildflower species...short and scenic, culminating at a high-alpine lake."  I have been looking for the opportunity to photograph columbine, and from her description in the book it sounds like there are several locations along the 1.5 mile stretch of trail where "cascades" of columbine can be photographed.  The drive to the trailhead can be made in a 2-wheel drive vehicle, with the exception of the last mile, which requires a "high-clearance" 4-wheel drive vehicle.  If needed, I can take up to 4 passengers for the last mile up to the trailhead.

Several of us are meeting in Colorado Springs to carpool to the trailhead, so please let me know if you are interested in joining us.  We will need to leave Colorado Springs fairly early (on the road no later than 5:00 AM), and so I'll pick a convenient place for everyone to meet.  If you are coming from Denver or somewhere north of Colorado Springs, just let me know and we'll make arrangements to meet at the trailhead. 

Although this will be a fairly short hike (3 miles round trip), we will be at a relatively high altitude, so please plan accordingly.  The trailhead starts at 11,200 feet, and climbs to 11,950 feet at Silver Dollar Lake.  Please take plenty of water, snacks to eat along the trail, a hat, sunscreen and sunglasses, a light windbreaker or rain gear, and decent hiking boots/shoes.  (Oh, and your camera gear too!  :) )  If your hiking boots aren't waterproof, it might be a good idea to bring along a spare pair of socks since we will be crossing a small creek and potentially walking through a few areas that are waterlogged from melting snow.  Don't worry about being "too slow" for the group.  I plan to photograph along the trail, and I'm sure we won't be moving along at a very fast pace.  We'll want to plan our hike back down the mountain so that we are below tree line before any afternoon thunderstorms hit the area.  If folks are interested, we can treat ourselves to a late lunch in Georgetown after the hike.

Please let me know if you are interested in joining us by responding to this thread, sending an email, or giving us a call at (719) 528-5492.  If you do plan to join us, please provide a cell phone number so that we can give you a call to coordinate last minute meeting arrangements/contingencies.

Hope to see you there.

Keith
Home:  (719) 528-5492
Cell:  (719) 237-0664
« Last Edit: July 05, 2008, 02:53:30 PM by keithsnell »

werikblack

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 9
I'm going to tentatively say I can make it, but it depends somewhat on when Dad is driving back through. I'd be willing to meet up with you guys somewhere in Denver (probably on the west side along C-470) and if there's huge attendance, can take people in my Jeep.

keithsnell

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1407
Erik,

I hope you can make it.  I haven't been to Silver Dollar Lake yet, but from the description in the "Wildflower Hikes" book, it sounds like a nice little hike.

Keith

keithsnell

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1407
It Looks like we have at least six people joining us for this wildflower photography outing, and maybe up to eight.  It should be a great time! 

We'll meet at Joyce's (csrdrunner) house and carpool from there.   If you don't know where her house is, please contact Joyce or me via email or phone and we'll give you the address.  (I'm hesitant to post someone else's address on the internet.) 

Erik might join us at the trail head, so if anyone else from up north wants to join us there as well, please let me know.

We hope to be on the road en route to Silver Dollar Lake no later than 5 AM, so please plan accordingly.  Bring "trail worthy" snacks for the morning.  We're tentatively planning a late lunch in Georgetown following the hike.

My cell phone number is (719) 237-0664.  If you plan to join us for this wildflower photography excursion, please contact Joyce or me and let us know what your plans are.

Hope to see you there!

Keith

keithsnell

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1407
As most of you know, Rebecca's due date is August 2nd; however, she had little "mini-contractions" last night, and so the baby may decide to come any day now.  Therefore, I'm posting a little more "planning" information for Saturday's outing so that you guys can continue on without me in the event that I'm in the delivery room with Rebecca on Saturday morning. 

Joyce, I've spoken to Tom (Kermit), and he knows we were planning on being at your house at 5 AM on Saturday to carpool from there.  I was planning to pick Tom up and bring him to your house, so he's the first person I'll call if I can't make it.  I'll email your address to him so he can find your house.  (Tom and Ellen live in University Park as well).  Please email me your cell phone number so that I can pass it on to Tom.

Erik Black will also be joining us, but since he lives north of Denver, we made arrangements to meet at the Paradise Hills park-and-ride on I-70 west of HWY 470.  The park-and-ride is at exit 256 off of I-70.  I told Erik we would meet him there sometime between 6:15 and 6:30. 

Erik's cell phone number is:  303-918-5351
Tom's cell phone number is:  719-661-5394
Doug Bennett's cell phone number is:  719-649-8686  (Doug will be meeting at Joyce's house as well)
My cell phone number is:  719-237-0664

To get to Silver Dollar Lake trailhead:  From Denver, take I-70 west to Georgetown.  Follow the signs for Guanella Pass through town.  Turn south on Guanella Pass Road, and drive 8.5 miles to the spur road on the right (just past Guanella Campground).  Follow the rough spur road to the trailhead.  (One reference I read said that there was a new paved parking lot area at the trail head.)  A description of the hike is included in Pamela Irwin's book "Colorado'w Best Wildflower Hikes, The Front Range," so if any of you have that book you might want to bring it along for reference.

Rebecca's little "mini-contractions" went on for 3 nights before she had Evan.  If she has contractions again tonight, I probably won't be joining you on the hike.  If she doesn't have any more contractions today or tonight, I might make it.  If I can't join you, PLEASE continue on without me. 

Keith