A difficult week

 It has been hot, smoky, windy, and low humidity, all conditions to make wildfires go crazy.  We have been fortunate so far, but, again, hypervigilance is in play.  

Additionally, there were two fatalities on Red Mountain Pass last Tuesday.  A car with three passengers, southbound on 550, was backing up the highway when it went over the side and ended up 300 feet down the cliff on its top in the creek.  There's an excellent article in the newspaper with details.  The next two days, there was another fatality north of Ridgway and another over-the-cliff wreck on 550.  Friday night, a third 550 wreck happened after 10 p.m., no fatality.  Ugh.

I read an article several years ago by a man who survived going off 550.  Rather than have his car go rolling over and over downhill, he chose to drive it by pointing the car down.  He survived and was able to walk out.  I haven't been able to stop thinking about him and how he had the wherewithal to do that.  

 Good news regarding Crystal Lake, thanks to the help of Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper, the USFS has agreed to cede the lake back to the city of Ouray.  Mike and I hiked Mears Trail, which is accessed across the dam and parallels 550.  It's an easy trail, which Dempsey appreciated, and it's partly in the sun, partly in the shade.  At the end is a nice stream coming down from the mountains, which he appreciated.  Wildflowers are few and far between since we're now only a month from the leaves changing.

Elderberry

Fireweed