On a sunny morning in Buena Vista, Colorado, I went for a walk on a nearby hiking trail known as the Barbara Whipple Trail. I brought my digital camera expecting to photograph the grand mountain scenery the region offers, but get this: I wound up spotting purple pricky pear cacti and photographing them!

Yes folks, purple cactus pictures! :)

I will assume the purple shades of these cacti are related to it being winter (photos taken January 14) and it being some kind of survival mechanism to protect itself from the cold and often windy weather. If you know more about why these prickly pears might turn purple, you are more than welcome to comment on the Cactus Forum!

Having said that, if you love cacti and love the color purple, well, this page is dedicated to you then!

-These pictures were submitted by Steve Garufi in Buena Vista, Colorado. His web site is: ScenicBuenaVista.com.

	I picked the three best pictures of them. ;)
	I zoomed-in ...
	... and then zoomed out.
	I thought I was show off one picture of the trail. The town of Buena Vista, Colorado sits in the middle ground in the valley with snow-capped Mt. Princeton towering above.