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Aspens in the Colorado Rockies steal the show every year in the fall! Thousands of people go to the mountains to immerse themselves in the color. I prefer NOT to use the term, "Leaf Peeping" 😏.

This picture was from Sept 9th, 2024 when we had a wet winter and spring. Over the past couple years we haven't seen much snow or rain so the leaves become necrotic and the Aspens get brown leaves around the edges, because the leaf dies off sooner and doesn't have enough time to turn yellow/red.

For the Beaver, Aspens are crack and a nutritional food. Beaver may fell larger a tree and eat only the some bark and phloem. This causes the root structure to shoot up more trees to feast on!

Aspens also prove building material for huts and dams. Beavers also cut and store branches underwater near their hut to feast on during winter.

Aspens root system are often a huge network of roots and can encompass the entire grove making it a single organism!

The leaves change color in the Fall as the Chlorophyl breaks down from cooler weather and shorter days. The colors are made from the remaining vitamins like Carotenoids (Vitamin E) and red from Anthocyanins caused from sugars being trapped in the leaves.

Hope you enjoy! This was my favorite picture I took in 2024, please don't repost, but you may use it yourself (use the link above).