Montane, subalpine, alpine. Woodlands. Spring.
Cross Mountain Trail, June 12, 2006.

Pollen-bearing male flowers on the lower limbs of Picea engelmannii release clouds
of pollen that engulf nearby trees ensuring that the seed cones at the top of the
trees are pollinated.  

The view is across Lizard Head Pass to Yellow Mountain and Vermillion Peak from 
the Cross Mountain Trail.

Picea engelmannii  (Engelmann Spruce)
Pinaceae (Pine Family)

Montane, subalpine, alpine. Woodlands. Spring.
Lizard Head Pass, January 19, 2007.

The mountain peaks in this photograph are the same as those above but we are closer to them and at a very different time of the year.   There may be a few Subalpine firs (Abies bifolia) in the photograph but otherwise it is a pure stand of Picea engelmannii.