American Basin in Late August

This week we rather impetuously decided, late in the morning, to see what American Basin looks like in mid/late August. This is what we saw....a few hardy columbines survive, thistles are working their way up to a second blooming, and other varieties normally overshadowed by the earlier sumptuous columbine bloom take on more importance in the scenes. Sunflowers are in their last throes, their faces uniformly turned to the sun like parading soldiers facing the honor stand; here a patch of the new and the old present a vivid picture of their cycle of life...

the tiny tundra blooms maintain their tenacious hold on the rocky terrain, and on life....

all of which are well worth the trip up the mountains to see.

We did this trip on the ATV and plan to do it again when the aspens have turned golden to see yet another version of this lovely high country spot.