Mt. Sneffels, one of Colorado’s 14ers, rises sharply above a valley in its foothills. Every fall, the valley floor is surrounded by a sea of golden leaves as the Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) prepare for the cold winters at high elevations. Aspens are not each solitary tress; they are a clone species. Each stand of aspens are connected via a large root system, which can live for tens of thousands of years. Photo © copyright by Chris Eaton.