Cathedral Peak and the adjacent cliffs over Cathedral Lake are comprised of grey-green hornfels; with good lighting, their sedimentary-layered origin is readily apparent
The trail reaches a saddle at 4.25 miles on the cirque rim with great views over the top of the Devaney Creek drainage, which feeds American Lake
Elephants Head, a member of the figwort family (which also includes foxglove and snapdragons), favors damp alpine meadows
The Electric Pass Trail is well-conceived, with long, sweeping switchbacks that mitigate steep grades and high elevation
Looking NW from Electric Pass over the Conundrum Creek Valley and across the tops of the Maroon Bells, Pyramid Peak and Snowmass Mountain
Electric Pass is lauded for its amazing views, but wildflowers on the way up quietly rival any display in the Aspen area
The first stage in the formation of Cathedral Peak began 34M years ago as sedimentary layers of the Maroon Formation were thrust upward
View across the Cathedral Lake basin on the final (and potentially) precarious approach to Electric Pass
Aspen are among the first trees to reclaim disturbed areas, reproducing quickly from a shared root system
At 1.5 miles the forest opens on a long arc up the north wall with great views up-valley
Despite its ominous name and history behind it, Electric Pass is no more susceptible to lightning than any other point at this elevation
Bistort is in the Buckwheat family; it's sometimes jokingly referred to as 'miner's socks' for its pungent smell
Cathedral Lake fills a large cirque bound by Cathedral and Malamute peaks to the west, and a low-walled moraine on the east side
Paintbrush roots (Genus Castilleja) have specialized parts called haustoria, which attach to the roots of other plants and draw away nutrients
Looking east across the 'saddle' (13,160'), which is a good turnaround point if weather threatens, or launching point for reaching Leahy Peak (13,322')
Fireweed earns its name for being one of the first flowering plants to reclaim disturbed land, such as from a fire or avalanche
Old Man of the Mountain (Hymenoxys grandiflora) typically face east to capture early morning sunlight
Larkspur is a member of the delphinium family, a word derived from the Greek 'delphis', or dolphin
Though ridge traverses seem relatively easy once on the pass, unstable rock and technical gaps make further travel ill-advised for most hikers
Steep slopes susceptible to rockslides and avalanches characterize the Elk Range, creating frequent disturbances that perpetuate the dominance of aspen forests at lower elevations
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