The Yampa River Valley

2 October 2008

The scape widened into a lush valley before narrowing around steep rocky walls. Narrowleaf cottonwoods burnt the river corridor orange, joined by box elder and dogwood. Willow and other shrubs shaded the banks purple. Aspen exploded like bright yellow nova against a dark green conifer sky. A train track held a steady line along the meandering stream. The ride drifted counter current before easing upward into Steamboat, where the aspen nova coalesce to brilliant the mountaintops in deep autumn gold.

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