Just how smoky was it yesterday in the Grand Valley? Take a look at the Grand Junction area from the summit of Mt. Garfield.

For the most part, the smoke wasn't all that bad. Here's an opportunity to take a 360-degree look at the region from 2,000 feet up.

Off To an Early Start

Yesterday was one of those days. Have you ever had one of those nights where you're restless and simply can't sleep. Well, at roughly 4 a.m. I decided to throw in the towel, get up, and do something constructive.

I hadn't hiked Mt. Garfield in months. Since it was obvious I wasn't going to get anything done during the hours before work (if you want to call it that), it seemed wise to hit the trail. You can make it up and down Mt. Garfield in just over two hours. Why not?

The Grand Valley at Sunrise

My hike up Mt. Garfield hit the halfway point right about the same time the sun began to rise. The early morning sun cutting across the valley offered an interesting glimpse at the amount of smoke in the valley.

Really Not That Bad

All things considered, the amount of smoke in the region wasn't as bad as it has been in recent weeks.

Make a 360-Degree Survey of the Area

From the top of Mt. Garfield, at the outermost projection towards the valley, I took shots in a clockwise motion turning the full 360 degrees. Looking westward, away from the sun, you can see the smoke was hardly more than a haze.

That's How It Was, August 31, 2021

Well, that's what the valley looks like from 2,000 feet above the valley floor during the early morning hours yesterday. As you can see in one photo, the American flag and the Colorado flag are flying high. The flag does have a light trained on it, but by the time I reached the flag, 7:30ish or so, it was bright enough the light shut off.

Grand Valley Smoke as Seen From the Top of Mt. Garfield on August 31 2021

Here's a peek from the southernmost edge of Mt. Garfield.

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