by Delaney Letts
It’s official, fall has arrived! We all know what that means: colorful leaves, pumpkins galore, football games and last but not least Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back. Fall has so much to offer, especially in Colorado. With cooler weather on the horizon we expect to see temperatures drop. Flannels, sweaters, scarfs, leggings and boots will all make an appearance again.
Grand Junction, although high mountain desert, still offers the orange, yellow and red splashes of color that most look forward to. Students are uplifted as they breeze through the changing leaves on campus. CMU’s Outdoor Program had an amazing opportunity to backpack through the Fall colors. After hiking 14 miles through Crag’s Crest to embrace fall in a new way.
“The trip was amazing! I loved seeing all the colors at the top of the Mesa along with a surprise visit of a black bear,” student Janae File said.
Junior Christy Sparks says her favorite thing about the season is the leaves changing colors. Being from Southern California she doesn’t get to experience this beautiful change in her home state.
“The trees are either green or dead,” Sparks said jokingly. Seeing all the vibrant colors is a breathtaking sight for her.
This anticipated season offers a countless number of cool activities. Grand Junction has several pumpkin patches/corn mazes to contribute to the seasonal fun. Studts Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze, located on 21 ½ Rd north of Highway 6&50, provides fun fall activities for the whole community. They have horse drawn hayrides, a petting zoo, a zip line and a haunted corn maze. Events such as these are bound to put you in the fall mood.
Many students rave about this time of year because of Pumpkin Spice Lattes, pumpkin loafs and pumpkin scones found at Starbucks across the nation. People crave these seasonal treats.
Freshmen roommates Leighanne Matson and Brooke Martin explained how much they love the Fall Starbucks drinks. Matson says she loves the smell of their hot drinks. Martin gets really excited when the PSL comes out. As she normally wouldn’t know what to get at Starbucks.
“PSLs give me a purpose to go into the coffee shop,” Martin said.
Aside from Starbucks, chili cook-offs are also very popular in fall. Many people bring their own receipts to festivals to showcase their cooking skills and compete for the winning title.
As October arrives, the excitement for haunted houses, scary movies and costume parties will heighten. Pumpkin carving is a great activity to launch the spooky part of the season.
Fall means something different to everyone. Still, no matter what, it certainly offers a good dose of happiness and plenty of activities for all to enjoy.
