September has sent us plenty of rain, with just an occasional glimpse of the sun interspersed with more rain. With no precipitation predicted for the 16th, it looked like a good day to climb Flattop. I was not alone in noticing the pleasant break in the weather. The Glen Alps parking lot was full and cars lined Toilsome Hill Road. Flattop was one popular mountain on Sunday, and that was part of the fun. There were lots of characters along the way-- a very determined three-year-old, the canoodling young couple, a group of Japanese tourists-- and plenty of dogs for Jascha to meet. It was a delightful hike, warm and sunny. At the summit there was a chilly breeze, and we could really feel the approach of winter, viewing snow in the taller peaks. It will creep down to the front range mountains, and eventually into the city below. But today was a beautiful balance of the seasons, with bright summer sun and gorgeous autumn colors.
More Flattop photos:
"Steps" of railroad ties are placed in some high
erosion areas
Powerline Valley, and O'Malley Peak, seen from the trail
View of Anchorage from Flattop Mountain summit
A foreign visitor stands on a cliff to admire the scenery
More shutterbugs from the same tour group
This tyke wouldn't stop climbing, even after he reached
the summit
A misty view of Flattop, taken a ten days earlier
A Black Meadowhawk Dragonfly on a fireweed leaf
A surprise late-blooming lilac in my yard
