Mill Creek Pinnacles Predawn I
The Mill Creek pinnacles burst from a mix of green, yellow and orange fall colored aspens in the West Elk Wilderness in Colorado. These impressive features tower hundreds of feet above the peaceful valley floor, with a ruddy color in stark contrast to the surrounding foliage.
Mill Creek Pinnacles Predawn II
The spires vary in size and shape and (best of all) change dramatically in appearance from different angles. So as you hike up the valley and steal glimpses from the quiet meadows and small openings in the trees, each pinnacle can show a different profile as your …

Tweet

Capitol Peak Autumn I
The yellows and oranges of the Quaking Aspen virtually define the fall season in the mountains of Colorado. On this evening, warm sunset light graces Capitol Peak, near Snowmass, providing a classic Colorado scene.
Capitol Peak Autumn II

Tweet

Tweet

Hornsilver Mountain offers a spectacular, sweeping panorama of the rugged Gore Range.
 Gore Range Panorama
Its located directly west of Shrine Pass and at a similar elevation. A number of my photographer friends have recently posted gorgeous images from Shrine Pass, so I had a hunch that this location might be blooming as well. And at just over 3 hours from Denver, it made for a nice afternoon and evening exploration. The wildflowers were, indeed, spectacular.
McAllister Gulch Wildflowers
I spent several hours in the late afternoon photographing the wildflowers and scouting locations for a sunset image.
Indian Paintbrush Nestled in Blue Spruce
Dusky Deep Purple …

Tweet

Boulder Brook I
Rocky Mountain National Park is full of rushing waters and lush green undergrowth this time of year. And I love wandering along the cascades in search of intimate compositions of the streams, wildflowers and other foliage. I arrived just after sunrise and a partly cloudy sky produced mostly diffused light for several hours. The Boulder Brook Trail was empty and quiet at this time in the morning and I enjoyed a leisurely climb up the fairly steep and strenuous trail. Some of the wildflowers are starting to decorate the stream’s edge and the forest floor. But many species …

Tweet

Nature is often messy, drab, dirty, harsh and chaotic. Powerful forces are at work and sometimes they wreak havoc, leaving paths of destruction.
You’ve probably seen videos showing the immense power of an avalanche racing down a steep mountainside – a white, roiling tumble of powdery acceleration, engulfing all in its path. They are beautiful and awe-inspiring to watch, from a distance. But at ground level, underneath all that pure white energy, rock and earth and tundra and spruce are being scoured off the mountain, shredded to bits and strewn in a jumble at the bottom of a pile when everything …

Tweet

The wildflowers in the Colorado high country are in full swing!
Rustler Gulch is perhaps one of the finest wildflower hikes in Colorado (among many). At the end of an incredibly scenic hike is a waterfall spilling through lush meadows of wildflowers. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon!

Tweet

Tweet

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado ~ July 18-21, 2009
Location… Paradise Park lies in the remote Southwest corner of Rocky Mountain National Park in central Colorado. It is a designated Special Research Area, so there are no established trails and overnight camping is prohibited. Erik Stensland (website), a good friend and fellow photographer, worked diligently with the National Park Service to obtain special permits for an extended trip to photograph and document this pristine wilderness. And he graciously invited me to join him! We explored and photographed for 4 days with the agreement to share our experiences and images with the …

Tweet

I started my day very early this morning – waking at 2:15am and driving to the trailhead. I donned my pack and headlamp and left the trailhead just before 4:00am, headed for Lion Lake #1, approximately 6.5 miles into the beautiful Wild Basin area of Rocky Mountain National Park. This is a strenuous hike, and the trail was very wet with snowmelt and remnants of previous day’s rains, so I was pleased with my pace. I arrived at the lake shortly before 7:00am – too late for sunrise, but the light was still pretty nice as it worked its way …

Tweet

I’d planned on photographing Piney Lake, north of Vail, CO, for sunset last Saturday, but clouds moved in, the ceiling lowered, rain started and the higher elevations were obviously getting snow. Luckily the drive in was not a total bust. The wet meadows were full of Marsh Marigolds, Corn Lily (or False Hellebore) and whatever those pretty little yellow flowers are (I couldn’t find an ID for them).

By the way, apparently False Hellebore is quite toxic. So even though those leaves look perfect for your backcountry ceasar salad, definitely refrain from munching on them.

Tweet

Tweet

I’m not much of a wildlife photographer, and certainly not a insect macro expert. But when the opportunity presents itself, I’ll try to get some snapshots. Here’s a butterfly that was hanging out on the wildflowers (penstemon?) along the trail to Hanging Lake. Can anyone help with the butterfly ID?

Tweet

Tweet