After leaving the Da Vinci exhibit, we took US-285 and CO-67 from Denver into Woodland Park from the north, then on to camp for the reunion.
North Fork, Colorado Forest Fire Area
There’s been a lot of publicity about the Waldo Canyon forest fire between Colorado Springs and Woodland Park. I haven’t seen post-fire photos, and it’s hard to imagine what the area must look like, but here’s an idea.
The North Fork area had a forest fire this spring. The only surviving trees in the area are those uphill of clearings where the fire didn’t naturally jump. Grass is regrowing, but the trees are dead and it will be decades before they regrow. I question whether the conifers will even come back or whether aspen will regrow faster and take over.
We saw a lot of cut trees in the burned areas. It wasn’t clear whether the burned trees have been cut down or whether the trees were cut when the fire was coming in an attempt to establish a fireblock.
The Waldo Canyon area will look like this for a long time to come.
CO-67 to Woodland Park
I’m not sure whether this is a stream or a river, but I love the way it winds through the lowlands.
Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp
The entrance to camp, off of CO-67 south of Divide.
Yeah, sorry, just can’t resist taking pictures of flowers.
The main lodge. I love Colorado rustic construction.
The dining room reserved for the Bartel reunion this weekend. We’re an ever smaller group — we used to fill the room and now we only fill four tables.