I’ve Got the Blues

The Elk Mountains near Aspen, Colorado have always drawn those seeking rugged adventure.

The reddish-maroon colored rock on so many of the peaks tends to have a "rotten" character to it, but that same rock provides an extra splash of color for photographers.

This photo was taken summer of 2013 just above the crest of West Maroon Pass. We were on our way to climb Belleview Mountain, which is a lower 13er, positioned on a ridge south of the much more famous Maroon Bells. The summit of that peak is to the upper right in this photo. As we approached the pass, we were greeted by this outstanding blue display of "Sky Pilot," a type of Polemonium that has a pungent, skunk-like aroma. This vivid blue provided a beautiful contrast to the distant reddish-maroon rock and green tundra slopes.