Let me just say that water will be the biggest issue on the Colo Front Range, and I have given presentations stating my belief that this area will begin to depopulate within 50 years. Southern Denver area cities are spending $Bns to deliver water to just a few tens of thousands of future homes. Other areas in the Intermountain West may depopulate as well, esp. if we start mining oil shale. Colo water rights are different than Wyo., and these two are much harder to interpret than UT and MT. Next will be man-made climate change impacts, and we see the beetle kill and droughts here already. You'll want to research what these impacts will be in your settlement area of choice, as this should drive your choice - fire will be an issue in droughts (more than normal fire regimes) and should drive your choice of house construction - straw bale, durisol are more fire resistant than stick-built and you'll have to learn fire-wise landscaping. Our forests are changing in front of our eyes and if you want trees to look at on your property, you'll want to research what they are and whether they will be there in 10 years. This old weatherman will tell you that if you want extensive veggie gardens, you'll want to spend some time in that spot, as desiccating winds and little moisture make subtropical nematodes look like child's play. And elevation gives you more sun in the winter, and that means cool seasons all winter long under insulated glass. But you'll get all the sunlight you want. Not the water or humidity or temps, but you'll get sunlight. Purchase a Sunset Western Garden Book and learn to understand the climate zones therein. They will tell you whether you can grow stone fruits or pome fruits. Then subscribe to the catalogue High Country Gardens to understand what plants will flourish here and in what kind of soil. And then budget some money to purchase fencing to keep the critters out of the beds you make, which will likely be raised for drainage and aspect. A few years ago, an old GF and I looked for land for homesteading and found that the tradeoffs in Eastern WA and ID were good enough to do so, but the rapidly increasing land prices there made that impossible at the time. If you want to homestead and such, you'll want to come out here. But you'll want to be sure you understand the near-term and medium-term changes coming to this area and whether you have the resources and means to deal with them. Dan

We are in Manilla, UT now. We've seen Red Canyon and the Sheep Creek Geological Loop. Tomorrow, we'll do Vernal and the Flaming Gorge Dam. On Thurs, we are off to Evanston, and get to see Lori!!!!! I can't drive the rig in the wind. I just don't have the strength to hold it on the road. If it isn't windy, it's easy! If you have ever driven a full size van or pickup, you can drive this. It's just a little wider and longer. The rear camera helps alot. It's almost like having a rear view mirror. I still am not used to mountain time. I was awake at 6 this morning. And the elevation is a whole lot higher than this flat lander is used to. Inhaler night tonight. I feel much better now. Of course, all the dust I inhaled in western Iowa hasn't helped, either. We are really having a great time. I'll try to keep posting, at least. May not get pictures uploaded to p. bucket to share, but at least, if I have internet, I can post. Tami

sam_md, thanks for posting the clarification. Nice uniform color on that 'Fire Blaze'. Also, according to these webpages (below) 'Fire Blaze' doesn't retain its leaves through the winter, and therefore the late winter / early spring flowers aren't obscured. http://www.scottarboretum.org/publications/HamamelisReport.pdf http://gardenseeds.swarthmore.edu/gardenseeds/2014/11/pw-november-10/ ,

What's your location, pen? The plant is very familiar.....we've had others post about it not too long ago. Edited to add: DUH! I didn't see Macranthos's post.....of course it's Giant Ragweed, Ambrosia trifida!