Steamboat Pilot & Today

The 2012 SmartWool Ride to Oregon passes through Utah on its way to Park City. Submitted by: Joe Solomon

Butterfly duo on thistle. Submitted by: Shelly

Bluegrass Delta Force is a new band formed by longtime Colorado musician Pete Kartsounes. The band plays Carl's Tavern on Friday night and YarmonyGrass at State Bridge on Saturday. Kyle Ussery/Courtesy

The Drunken Hearts are set to play YarmonyGrass, a four-day music festival at State Bridge beginning this weekend. The festival also features Railroad Earth, Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real, members of String Cheese Incident and more. Brian Spady/courtesy

Michael Keough, from Des Moines, Iowa, stands on his tube Thursday afternoon as he floats down the Yampa River. Recent rains have helped river levels remain steady and prolonged the tubing season for visitors and locals. Photo by John F. Russell

Park Myers, artistic director of the Steamboat Springs Arts Council, adjusts lights for an upcoming art show at the Depot Art Center. The Summer Art exhibit — featuring the work of 25 artists, all of whom are Arts Council members — will be on display this month. Photo by John F. Russell

Rancher Michael Hogue hays a pasture west of Steamboat Springs on Thursday afternoon. Photo by John F. Russell

Karen Piassick casts into Whale Lake on Wednesday afternoon on Buffalo Pass. Piassick was there with fellow fishing fiends, husband, Joel Piassick, ans daughter Joan Swartz. They reported that the fishing was good. Photo by Joel Reichenberger

A rainbow shoots out from behind pine trees on the shore of Summit Lake on Buffalo Pass. Photo by Joel Reichenberger

Sun splashes off a spit of land in Buffalo Pass' Jonah Lake. The lake has three rocky islands that are scattered across its middle. Photo by Joel Reichenberger

Flowers are blooming all along the trails on Buffalo Pass. Photo by Joel Reichenberger

Whale Lake is a short hike beyond Jonah Lake on Buffalo Pass. Photo by Joel Reichenberger

The trail to Jonah Lake isn't long or difficult, but there's plenty of pretty. Photo by Joel Reichenberger

A rainbow stretches over Summit Lake on Buffalo Pass above Steamboat Springs. A short hike on top of the pass can take explorers of all fitness levels to a series of jaw-dropping mountain lakes. Photo by Joel Reichenberger