Blue Aspen Hike With Brantleys 06OCt20

Kala & I headed out to Dome Rock SWA with Scott & Peggy to attempt to catch the blue aspen phenomenon at sunrise. We did it! If you go, you need a fishing license even though you may not be fishing. Despite hopping from the car at the trailhead (Dome Rock SWA parking), the lone car, in brisk 27° air, we made the 7 mile hike NP. We were shedding layers all morning - as we needed plenty of warmth early - including stocking hats and gloves but by the end were one layer across the team. The blue aspen effect was very cool but we have no full explanation for what causes it ~ I climbed the opposite hill to observe and I posit that it's caused by the just risen sun shining through the evergreens (higher on the hill) and into the aspens. Whatever caused it, it's rare and remote and occurs only early in the AM and is best when the aspens' canopy has changed to fall colors. This area had some really big aspens and we actually also observed some very big, very old Ponderosa pines as well in the Sand Ck valley by which returned to the car. The aspens are still ablaze out here. On the final leg of the hike we crossed Four Mile Ck a couple times and walked alongside it's steep rake of plunge pools on the final climb out - I saw a number of 6"-12" brookies there, which was cool. A really GR8 hike capped by some fine DDH hazy IPAs and lunch at Cerberus - we were served by the Key Master and the head brewer is Zuul.