Walden Ponds: Ducks Unlimited

Distance: 2.5 miles loop
Elevation: 5,100 ft
Elevation Gain: None
Dogs: On Leash (wildlife sanctuary)
Tags: #Boulder, #ducks, #coloradooutdoors

The south side of Bass Pond in the Walden Ponds Open Space Park and Wildlife Sanctuary

Walden Ponds, named for “Wally” Toevs, is a wildlife sanctuary east of Boulder created from an old gravel mine. Wally was the Boulder County Commissioner who spearheaded the effort.

Map of the area

Ducks in the shallower west side of Cottonwood Marsh

American Wigeon (Anas americana) is a dabbling duck, meaning it feeds on the surface rather than diving to the bottom. They are part time residents, migrating between Central America and Canada.

Walden is haven for waterfowl, fishermen, birders, and local strollers. I went to Walden to play with a 500 mm lens. Even with that cruise missile sized monstrosity, I could only capture the ducks nearest the shore.

A view across Cottonwood Marsh from the Boardwalk

The Widgeon does not play nice with others. It is often observed ripping food out of the beaks of diving ducks. For that reason, it is sometimes called a poacher.

Walden contains 5 separate ponds, but the birds like to hang out in Cottonwood Marsh, the largest of the ponds in the area. Large is great for birds, but bad for photographers. There was a wayward Tundra Swan at the far end, but I could barely see it with the naked eye. For birders with binoculars though Walden "Aflak" heaven.

Cottonwood Marsh from the parking area. The peaks of the Rocky Mountains are just visible in the background.

Wigeons are often seen feeding with American Coots (Fulica americana). Adult Coots have a short thick white bill a reddish-brown spot between the eyes. Coots are also migratory, traveling between British Columbia and the southern US

For those looking for exercise, there is a 2.5 mile loop that winds around the ponds. In the fall, it must be pleasant indeed with Cottonwoods and shrubbery in their full fall regalia. In March, the trees are barren and the grasses along the roadsides are stark in their pre-spring couture. For the bird watcher, this is ideal since it means more of the ponds are visible from the trails. As it was I needed to shoot through Cattails along the shore, blurring some otherwise nice shots.

The trails around Walden Ponds consist of wide, dirt roads

Coots eat grasses but also arthropods, fish, and other aquatic creepy crawlers. When on land, they bob their heads, which has given them another common name..."Mud Hen"

Near the second parking area, there is a nice boardwalk with benches for the older set to lounge on while they scan the horizon for a new addition to their life list.

The north side of the Ricky Weiser Wetland

Ring-necked Ducks (Aythya collaris) cruising off shore. Ring-necks are diving ducks feeding on aquatic plants, insects, small fish, and mollusks.

In the property to the west of Walden was a grouping of Blue Heron nests but I could not get close enough to see any of the birds. Walden abuts another open space park, Sawhill Ponds and it is easy to walk between the two for a longer excursion. I was told by one local birder that long-legged birds tend to hang out at Sawhill more than Walden because the ponds are shallower. They spotted a Sandhill Crane there just a week ago.

Ring-necks winter over in the western half of the US. They are quite stylish birds with their sleet black plumage. It is often hard to see the ring around their neck but the ring around their bills is more visible.

Redheaded ducks (Aythya americana) floated in large numbers at the far end of the Cottonwood Marsh. They are just dots even with a 500m lens. Still, their red plumage is quite distinctive. They overwinter throughout the US. Mollusks form a large part of their diet.

At the trailhead, there is a brochure with a list of the birds you can see at Walden Ponds. I obviously need to come back later in the spring and look for songbirds and other waders. If you are into birds, this seems to be THE place in Boulder to find them.

Matted reeds along the eastern border of Cottonwood Marsh

Ashcroft Ghost Town

Aschroft's Hotel View

Ashcroft is a small ghost 12 miles down Castle Creek Rd from Aspen. There are few buildings to walk around and some nice mountain backdrops.

Looking down the scenic valley

Blue Mirror Saloon

Ashcroft, originally Castle Forks City, was larger than Aspen at one point. It boasted a bowling allye, two newspapers, six hotels, and 20 saloons. What little ore that was there was quickly depleted, however, and the town folded by 1885. Much of the infrastructure was moved to Aspen.

old cabin

With all these Aspens, a fall visit to Ashcroft would be picturesque indeed

Thailand: Ayutthaya

The Wat Phra Si Sanphet section of Ayutthaya is known for its row of chedis (Thai-style stupas). A stupa is a Buddhist shrine. Note the photographs in this post are old and faded and were not that great to begin with. Hopefully, they will give you a taste of the area.

Siam keeps its ghosts close to home. Neither the diaspora of history nor the fluctuations of national boundaries affects these hearty specters who seem quite at home amidst the country's modern plethora of deities and crush of humanity. Such was my impression when I visited Thailand and the ruins of Ayutthaya 85 km north of Bangkok in the early 90s. Ayutthaya is a common tourist destination with river cruisers departing at 11:30 AM daily from the city. It is a fascinating place to visit.

Reclining Buddha with chedis in the background

Remains of a sitting Buddha. Note the tourists in the corner. Most of the other visitors were Asian.

Built in 1350, this ancient capital of Thailand was once one of the largest trading centers in Asia. Scented wood, ivory, camphor, rice, lumber and rubber were important commodities carried on the 1000 or more ships that traveled up the river each year.

Ruins of a Wiharn (a quiet place) at Wat (monastery) Thammikarat

The chedis totally fascinated me. There shape is like nothing else seen in western architecture.

At one point the city was the largest in the world with over 1 million inhabitants. Its temples and buildings were gilded in gold. Surrounded on 3 sides by rivers, canals were also dug to create a society that totally revolved around the water. Similar to modern Venetians, the citizens of Ayutthaya would travel about in dragon headed boats as they enjoyed over 400 years of peace and economic prosperity.

Such glory is always fleeting however...

“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Another view of Wat Thamm

A stylized view of a chedis

In 1786 Ayutthaya was sacked by the Burmese. The city was burned to the ground and it took the conquers several days to cart all the gold away. Perhaps the ghosts never left because they are still dazed by the city's sudden change in fortunes. What allegories can one draw for modern societies? All prosperity is fleeting under the relentless crush of time and circumstance.

Seated Buddha

My memories of this trip have been reduced by time to heat, stone, the press of other tourists and the unrelenting sense that something unseen hung in the still air. I was ill on this trip to Thailand with some stomach aliment and I had not eaten for several days but managed to nibble at the nice buffet the cruise put on. The river journey was pleasant. I sat in the stern with some Brits and watched the villages and Hindu temples, with their thousands of carvings, drift slowly by.

The author on the steps of one of the largest chedis

As with most such brief travel experiences, one does not get to see it all, but does get a sense of a place and for a young adventurer traveling alone, Ayutthaya was both mysterious and sobering.

This old photograph, blurry and faded, is like a window into my memories. Was I ever that young?

Nevadaville Ghost Town

The Masonic Block of Nevadaville. Inside is a masonic temple complete with painting of George Washington.

Nevadaville is a small ghost town near the gambling centers of Central City and Blackhawk. I drove there recently with my parents who wanted to see a Colorado ghost town. The day was bitterly cold and the sky was spitting snow. I could not imagine living in a small hovel during a Colorado winter, but certainly many did. The lure of riches kept many a man shivering.

Mining ruins that are already being reclaimed by the land.

6,000 people once lived in Nevadaville, which has also been called Nevada City, Nevada, and Bald Mountain. Gold, silver, and thirteen saloons drew many to the stark landscape. You can get there now via the Central City Parkway, but back in the day, the town was quite isolated.

Bits of a stone wall that stood alone on a bare hillside. What memories do these cold stones contain?

Nevadaville's boom occurred from 1860-1870 with occasional spurts in later years. I have to wonder if history will look back upon Colorado's famous ski towns (Vail, Aspen, Breckenridge etc) with just as much nostalgia and wonder what it was like to live during the boom times.

For fun, I played with the photos of the area to give the the reader the sensation of gazing through through an old photograph.

An aluminum-sided mining ruin. I have not seen many of these. Another accessible one is at the trailhead for Wheeler Lake just south of Breckenridge.

Austria: Melk Abbey

Melk Abbey

In 2004, I took a vacation to Austria. One of my favorite destinations was Melk Abbey (Stift Melk in German). Located between Vienna and Salzburg along the Danube River, Melk Abbey sits high on a rocky promontory. Originally a palace, it is both vibrant, opulent, and a must see if you are in the area.

The exterior, which retains its facade from the abbey's days as a palace

The inner courtyard

A close up of the fountain and dome

On this trip I fell in love with Baroque architecture. The marble columns, heavy gold filigree, and frescoes ceilings are hedonistic and outrageous. They evolved to express the Catholic Church's might as a state and not just as a religion.

An interior shot of the Abbey Church. I fantasized about placing a bed large enough for me and 4 courtiers in the middle of the nave. Sunk in feathers and covered in silks, I could gaze up at the cupola as I drifted off to sleep.

A frescoed ceiling

The library is two stories tall and filled with priceless medieval works. Every house should have a library like this!

A painted starcase

Melk is still a Benedictine monastery and monks still wander its halls. They isolate themselves, however, so don't expect to hear the swishing of robes on the tile floors.

The Emperor's Gallery. This simple hallway seemed more suited to a monk's life than the elaborate churches in the other part of the Abbey.

View of the town below. The Danube River is just out of site to the right.

An exterior sculpture

We had a wonderful lunch after a tour of the Abbey in a small restaurant near the town. I was on a low carb kick on this trip so I avoided the beer and woofed down large portions of protein, but my travel companion was under no such restrictions and ordered a beer that came in the size of a tanker truck. Our hostess spoke no English but we were learning German quickly and managed to order without incident. One thing I love about the Austrians is their habit of saying Gross Gott for a greeting instead of Guten Tag.

Aldefer/Three Sisters: Southside Loop

Distance: 4 miles round trip
Elevation: 7, 750 ft
Elevation Gain: 789 ft
Date Hiked: 21 November, 2010
Dogs: On leash only (Jefferson County Open Space)
Tags: #jeffco, #coloradooutdoors, #hiking
Nearby Hikes: Evergreen Mountain

The 3 Sisters rock formation gives its name to this pleasant open space in Evergreen, CO

Three Sisters in Evergreen, CO is part of the Jefferson County Open Space system. Its many interlocking trails wind through open fields, Ponderosa Forest, and cool rock formations. The trails themselves are very manicured and can easily be walked in athletic shoes.

Trail map of the area showing the route profiled in this post.

Old homestead located at the west (2nd) trailhead

Starting out counter-clockwise on the Ponderosa Trail

There are lots of options on this, the southern side of Three Sisters. On the northern side is the hike to Evergreen Mountain. On this trip I started out in the west parking lot, walked the short Meadow Trail to the Silver Fox Trail and headed down the Ponderosa Trail. This trail parallels Buffalo Park Road and arrives at 1.4 miles at the eastern (1st) trailhead. From there I headed up the Sisters Trail to the saddle of the Sisters itself at 2 miles.

A rockier trail segment

Approaching the east trailhead

From the Sisters "saddle", I connected again with the Ponderosa Trail (at 2.5 miles) and walked back to the Brother's Rock (at 2.8 miles). Brother's Rock is a large out cropping with stupendous views of Mt. Evans to the west and the Evergreen High School to the south. It is the perfect spot for a picnic lunch and Christmas card photo op.

Starting up the steeper section of the Sister's Trail. Rocks abound.

A more typical trail segment, in the trees and relatively flat.

From Brother's Rock, I backtracked to the Ponderosa Trail and rather than racing back to the car, detoured on the Silver Fox Trail and Homestead Trail counter clockwise around the large rock pile at the western extent of the park before looping back to the parking area at 4.2 miles.

Pine needles on the trail. In summer they give off a pleasant aroma. 

Standing on Brother's Rock, looking at Mt Evans in the distance.

Mt. Evans

Coming back down into the meadow by the trailhead

I love this openspace in the spring and fall. The thick and fragrant trees are welcome after a long winter, and the meadow grasses turn a rusty brown in the fall.

You get to Three Sisters by taking Hwy 73 just south of Evergreen Lake and then turning right onto Buffalo Park Road.