Pawnee National Grassland - Colorado Landscape Photography

 

Clouds fascinate me. I find myself gazing into the Colorado blue sky often. The day we chose to drive out to the Pawnee National Grassland was threatening to be stormy, but on we drove. I was rewarded for my perseverance with some of the most dramatic skies I have ever photographed. It will always be a shoot I remember. 

So if you are ever contemplating turning around in your life because it gets a little stormy you might just miss the time of your life. I know I would have.

 

Pawnee Buttes 1 

A scenic western landscape photo, of sandy rugged buttes rising under a dramatic stormy spring sky on the High Plains of Colorado. Perfect for adding the beauty of the west to your home, office, or bedroom decor. Pawnee National Grassland, Colorado 

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Etsy JulieMagersSoulen

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Crystal Fire in Northern Colorado

Although I am not sure if I have the words to write about our close proximity to this fire, I did want to share my past week with you through my camera lens.

Quick Facts on the Crystal Fire as of April 8, 2011
(from Larimer County Emergency Information)

Fire Start Date: 04/01/2011
Cause: Under Investigation
Fire Size: 3,200 acres
Contained: 55%
Total Personnel: Approximately 398
Additional resources: 5 crews, 4 helicopters, 27 engines
Burned Residences: 15

Crystal Fire in Redstone Canyon
The Crystal Fire though looking tame in this photo taken on Monday
comes to life again on Tuesday with high winds.
(The house at the bottom of the photo belongs to one of our volunteer firefighters and is safe as of this post.)

Crystal Fire Horse
A horse grazes near the smoldering mountain pine forest of the Crystal Fire.
(The horse is safe. Valley residents did not have time with this fast moving fire to trailer their horses to a safe location and instead set them free in the open range. The horses run from the fire and are later caught and returned home.)

Crystal Fire in Black and White
The pilots of these helicopters made numerous trips through the smoke to drop their load of water on the fire's hot spots.

Helicopter Bucket Drop
A helicopter bucket drop on the Crystal Fire in Redstone Canyon, Colorado.

Helicopter Tanker
A helicopter tanker flies over my home on its trip from the reservoir to drop its load of water on the Crystal Fire.

Etsy JulieMagersSoulen

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A 14,264' View from the top of Mount Evans

It was last June. It was shorts weather in Colorado, but not at the top of Mount Evans. There was a storm approaching the peak and the temperature was below freezing with bitter biting winds. I trotted across the parking lot to the ruins of the old chalet 50 yards away. I was breathless and a little dizzy by the time I reached it, a result of what Coloradans call "rare air" at an elevation of over 14,000 feet. Shivering from the unrelenting cold but at the same time totally juiced to take photos, I shot off as many as I could before my fingers started to go numb. I'm going back this year for sure... in August, with arctic gear, gloves, hat and a tripod. Enjoy the view!

Mountain Window
Looking out a rustic window from the ruins of a chalet at the very top of Mount Evans at an elevation of 14,264' shows a scenic snow capped mountain landscape as far as the eye can see.
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Grandmother Pine

Grandmother Pine stands where the cold winter wind blows the strongest. The gale is channeled up a steep narrow canyon and breaks over the ridge exactly where she stands. Her trunk is thick and twisted. Her branches are short and sturdy. She barely notices the brutal blast that pushes me about like the fragile being that I am. She offers sanctuary to every creature under her thick boughs where the air is quiet and the light dim. She stands protectively over all who accept her embrace. Thank you for your shelter, Grandmother Pine.

Thank you for your patience regarding my computer difficulties. I am up and running smoothly again, although a bit behind. So my return is a little slow, but I will catch up and have many new photographs as the week progresses. Check back often.

Grandmother Pine
An ancient and twisted ponderosa pine has withstood time and the severe weather on a mountaintop in Colorado.
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Sunset on Water

The holidays are past. I had a wonderful Christmas with my family and a great New Years Day celebration too. I am rested and ready to jump back into photography. I have many goals for this new year and am happy that I have all of you to be my guides for this journey. I appreciate your comments on my work more than you know. So without further adieu...

The sun sets early in northern Colorado at the beginning of the year. In the summer four-thirty in the afternoon would be early enough in the day for many outdoor activities to still be done. But in the middle of the winter it is time to head for home and sip wine by the fire. That is exactly what I had planned on doing when I drove the serpentine road around the frozen lake. But my eye kept wandering from the road to the beautiful light reflected on the ice so I pulled the truck over to the roadside to take a few shots. I hope you enjoy the serene vista of a frozen lake at sunset in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.

Mahogany Ice
A hillside covered in Mountain Mahogany drops steeply to an ice covered lake reflecting the setting sun.
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Sunset on Water
The approaching evening of a cold winter day paints the frozen Rocky Mountain lake in the subtle tones of a peach and pink alpine glow.
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The Light and Color of Zion National Park

I was looking through some of my archives of the American Southwest and found a few to share from a trip I took a couple years ago. We were on our way to adopt a dog at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. We ended up coming home with two. But that is another story.

Zion National Park is a photographers dream. There is something about the magical light that bounces off those red cliffs and mountains giving everything a fiery glow. Rose colored glasses are not needed. I am reminded of the old vintage travel magazine covers and took my inspiration from them. And remember, I appreciate your comments on my work. Your critiques help me to stretch and grow. Cheers!

Sunset Cliff
A lone red tailed hawk soars overhead as the sun sinks and lights up
the red cliffs of Zion National Park.
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Zion National Park on a rainy day is dappled with sunlight
filtering through the storm clouds.

The North Fork of the Virgin River in Zion National Park is a desert river
of green water and red rocks.

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Valley of Contentment

I walked with my two loyal companions down the lightly packed trail on a cool October morning. The air was moist and earthy, lightly scented with pine. We reached the end of the path and sat on our favorite rock far above the Valley of Contentment, a name the Ute tribe gave the place that has become my home. The fog drifted between the foothills of the Rocky Mountains causing the peaks to become islands adrift in a sea of fluffy cloud. A solitary bird perched at the top of a pine and cheeped a lonely call across the empty space. Somewhere a few miles away a dog barked at a pack of coyotes yipping and yodeling in jubilation of the day. It was a moment in time that could have been today or 10,000 years ago. I rejoiced in it.

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Sunday Morning Gallery - Mount Evans, Colorado

Mount Evans was our destination on one warm and sunny weekend. West of Denver, Colorado, Mount Evans reaches an altitude of 14,264 feet. It is so amazing that there is a road to the top of this fourteener, the highest paved road in all of North America. Originally there were plans to connect three fourteeners by highway, but this grandiose vision proved unfeasible.



For every 1,000 feet gained in elevation temperatures drop 3.5-5 degrees F and we were totally unprepared for the 26 degree blasting winds. I felt sorry for the motorcycle riders we met on top huddled against the stone wall out of the brutal wind, but they were bravely getting ready for their descent by warming their hands in their pockets.



This is the Crest House restaurant that was built in 1941. It burned down in 1979 but the stone remains are a delight to photograph.



With the numbing cold it was hard to keep the camera steady, but I was determined to get my shots. With regrets, and self recrimination at being so unprepared, I ran back to the car heater.



On the way back down we stopped to appreciate the beauty of the flat alpine tundra with hundreds of little pools reflecting the sky. My daughter was also smitten with the beauty and was doing her own shooting.



Have you been to Mount Evans or the top of any other mountains?

Sunday Morning Gallery - Alpine Loop to Cinnamon Pass

Today's Sunday Morning Gallery is Part 2 of our Lake City vacation. After finding our campsite (see the April 26 blog entry in the archives) and enjoying a day of rest we packed up the 4 Runner with dogs and lunch and headed up the Alpine Loop 4WD road to Cinnamon Pass.

Cinnamon Pass Road is part of the Alpine Loop in the San Juan Mountains of Southwest Colorado. This route is opened by snowplow early in the season. Be warned though, in the summer peak season Cinnamon Pass Road is an extremely popular 4WD route. Parts of the road are a single lane rock shelf with no pull offs. Uphill traffic has the right of way in these situations and believe me when I say that you do not want to back up on some of this road! There are also a few switchbacks that a full sized SUV can not navigate without several passes. If you are squeamish about steep plunging drop offs without guard rails this may not be your cup of tea.

Like many trails/roads in Colorado, the Cinnamon Pass Road was travelled originally by Native American Indians, in this case Ute Indians. The first documented travel by white settlers was in the early 1860s when Charles Baker used Cinnamon Pass in his exploration of the San Juan mountains.

Cinnamon Pass is at 12,640 and there are signs located here explaining the tundra conditions at this altitude. By the way, this is not paid advertising for Toyota. But don't you think they should send me money for this shot?

After a fun day driving up to the pass we headed back to camp and our room with a view, popped a beer, and kicked back. Not a bad day.

Sunday Morning Gallery - Lake City to Marmot Crossing

Ric and I took this camping trip in June 1997 but it is one that really sticks with me. We packed up our camping gear, and our dogs Keota and Champ. Champ was just a young pup at the time. We loaded up our brand new Toyota 4Runner to test out its grit, and headed to Lake City, Colorado.

Lake City is an 1870’s mining town, located in a valley formed by the convergence of Henson Creek, and the headwaters of the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River. The picturesque community is surrounded by majestic, 14,000 foot peaks, and tall, old growth Cottonwood trees line the highway through town. Lake City has an elevation of 8,671 feet.



On the way to our camp site we traveled through some beautiful country. I had to stop to take a picture of the "marmot crossing" sign. I had never seen such a sign and to this day I have never seen another one. You know you are remote when you have to stop for marmots!





We finally found our designated camp in a hard to find state forest campground and set up camp. When we stay in one spot for a week we like to set up the "circus tent" which is really just a huge LL Bean tarp that is plenty roomy for outside living when the unpredictable mountain weather gets rough. We learned long ago that it is not too fun to spend all day in a tiny tent with two dogs. It is our outside room with a view.

I will be continuing the story of our Lake City trip with more pictures in a future post. Stay tuned to hear about our 4wheeling adventure to Cinnamon Pass.

Road to Town

It is an unsettled spring day in Colorado. The dark cloudy sky looks as if it is about to dump rain or snow but there is no moisture in the forecast. The dusty road winds across the top of the ridge to the saddle, a low point, where the road turns down into a steep ravine. It is always this ravine that becomes impassable when the spring snows come. This year they did not come so we hope for rain instead. It makes going to town easier when the steep road is clear of ice and snow. And there are no complaints when the plow sits idle. For now we will wait and see if the rains come. These are my thoughts as I bump down the dusty road.

Sunday Morning Gallery - Mountain Majesty

The mountains of the West have always captured my heart. Their obvious beauty, their dangerous weather, their steep challenging canyons, their ancient history exposed for all who care to look, and their sheer magnitude; all these things hold an intoxicating allure for me. Today I will share some mountains that I love. The two from Zion National Park, my favorite park because of the magical light there, are ruddy and massive. The only effort required was a drive in the car, although a long drive. The vast and remote valley of Ruby Jewel was a different story. It was the hardest hike I've ever done. After 10 grueling miles up some of the roughest terrain I've ever hiked to an elevation over 11,000 feet we were rewarded with the most beautiful mountain vistas I have ever seen. And because of the remote nature it was still pristine and wild with rushing creeks percolating right up out of the ground over beds of wild flowers.

Home on the Range

The day was cold but bright so we decided to go for a walk. As we headed down the snow packed, narrow and steep road we rounded the corner to see the renegades. That is the cows that had escaped the fall roundup. There were only a few of the ladies left. They will not elude the cowboys for long though. To leave them would mean their demise. So the cowboys came back, the cows were rounded up, and the last of the renegades were shuttled off to their winter barn.