The color seemed to come late this year, and then didn't last.

The first 'historic storm' (maybe a little more historic further north in Montana?) was on its way, so on September 27 I took my one color chance this fall and bet it on the Mill Creek area over by Anaconda, Montana. The storm arrived the next day and was followed by a couple of pretty cold nights. That seemed be it for fall color around Butte. Color BeamsMill Creek Road, Anaconda, Montana. September 27, 2019.

It turned out that Mill Creek was a good bet. It was misty and cloudy up high, but the drive south from Montana Highway 1 (the Pintler Veterans Memorial Highway) was sunlit and the aspens were nearing peak color. I like this image because the grass is golden, some of the trees are still green, there are splotches of brilliant yellow, and some red. 

I am unsure as to what the 'light beams' might be. I didn't notice them when viewing the scene, but they appear in the image. The air was not noticeably hazy, and although the sun was not that far off the lens in the upper right, they don't seem much like lens flare. No matter, they add an interesting component. 

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