Timing follow up to Crested Butte location thread

[jim_doty]

I read this <a

href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Bk5h">Crested

Butte wildflower location thread</a> with a lot of interest. Sounds

like this will be a good year for flowers around Crested Butte.

<p>

I have vague memories of being in the Gothic - Emerald Lake area with

my parents back in the 1950's, and haven't been back to that part of

Colorado since then. It was a long hike to Emerald Lake back then, at

least it seemed that way for a small boy.

<p>

What are the best times of the year to go to the kind of locations

that are mentioned in the above thread? I see the <a

href="http://www.crestedbuttewildflowerfestival.com/index.cfm">

Crested Butte Wildflower Festival</a> is July 11-17 so I am already

assuming that is a good time. Are there good collections of different

kinds of flowers earlier or later in the year? Is it so busy during

that festival that it would be better to come just before or after

July 11-17?

<p>

I have more flexibility than usual with my schedule this summer and I

would like pick the best time to go to Colorado and make the most of

some of the high country wildflowers.

<p>

Are there any other good books on Colorado wildflower locations that

you would like to recommend in addition to those mentioned in the

above thread.

<p>

Thanks.

<p>

Jim

[daver1]

Hi Jim,<p/>

 

I went at the time of the festival last year, although it was in the middle of the week. There were people, but it wasn't like New Jersey or anything. That particular week is chosen because it's most likely to be the peak of the season, although it can vary due to weather and snowmelt conditions, none of which you can predict until July 10th. :) With little effort, you can find SOMETHING around there. I asked a few locals at the festival and within 2 hours, I had more than enough to fill 4 days of explorations in the area. If you're looking for a specific trail or shot, that may or may not work depending on the conditions. <p/>

 

No matter what time you go in July, something will be blooming...it's just a question of what, and how much. <p/>

 

HTH,<p/>

-D<p/>

<a href="http://coyoteimages.com">Coyote Images</a>

[rich long]

Jim -

 

Dave's right. You should be OK pretty much anytime in July. That being said, my experience is that it can be fairly crowded (by Colorado standards) around the 4th of July. This year, I'll probably try to get there after the festival rather than before. I'm assuming that the substantial snowpack will push the normal peak back by a week, and I'm assuming that fewer people will be around then. But I'm probably wrong on both counts.

 

If the road is open, you can drive right up to Emerald Lake. If it's still snowed in, there's an area about 1/2 mile below the lake where a number of cars will be parked.

 

There are a couple of books on "Colorado Wildflower Hikes" and Andy Cook has a CD on Colorado scenic photography that includes a fair amount about wildflowers in the CB area. A search on Google and/or Amazon should come up with those and more options.

[jim_doty]

Thanks!

 

Jim