Thursday was a vacation day that I spent snowboarding at Keystone. The weather was perfect – mostly cloudy, with periodic snow showers and occasional sun. After a day riding the bowls and trails, it was time to return home. A snow storm arrived at Loveland Pass.
Winter Clouds Over Loveland Pass
Returning towards Denver along I-70, I noticed ice fountains along the west-bound lanes. I just had to find somewhere to head back west.
Silver Plume Ice Fountain #1
I have been wanting to make images ice formations like this for the last couple of years. This is one of several images that I made.
Silver Plume Ice Fountain #2
Whilst stopped, off the edge of the highway, a tow-truck stopped right behind me. Maybe the truck operator thought I was having problems. After seeing that I was making photographs, he asked if I could make a picture of him against the ice with his his cell phone. I obliged and he went on his way.
Silver Plume Ice Fountain #3
Another…
And another!
Silver Plume Ice Fountain #5
Finally, I headed back until, at Silver Plume, I stopped to take a look at the rail yard for the Georgetown Loop Railroad.
Silver Plume Rail Yard
During the warmer months of the year, this narrow gauge railroad runs tourist trains between Georgetown and Silver Plume. This section of railroad is unique in that the train completes seven circular loops on the journey over a distance of a few miles.
Rio Grande
Finally, here is the detail of the original Rio Grande boxcar that was used on the narrow gauge railroads in Colorado.