Not having set out to pay homage to the moon for quite some time, I noticed earlier in the week that Saturday morning might be promising for the sunrise / moonset duet. I think my wife was a little dismayed when I told her I was setting the alarm for 5:00a on a Saturday morning, in order to have enough time to get up to the high country to witness the event. In an attempt to set myself up for maximum stealth once I awoke, I organized clothes and camera gear, and proved just how hard 40-year olds like to party on a Friday night.
In the morning, once sufficiently caffeinated and filled with a couple slices of jammy toast (I love to garden and bake bread, as well as take photos), Pup and I headed westward, and a bit north to the Brainerd Lake area. After a brief gander at The Photographers Ephemeris the night before, I had it in mind to pay my respects to Red Rock Lake, and see what might unfold. At the eastern shore of the lake, one's view of the Indian Peaks Wilderness and the Continental Divide is commanding, and the reflections are often sublime if there is no wind. The moon setting against the backdrop of the peaks as the sun first touches them with long reddened rays is one of my favorite sights.
As luck would have it, conditions at Red Rock Lake were perfect. There was no wind, and dog and I were alone as the sky inexorably brightened. It was cold enough that I was grateful for gloves, down jacket, and hat, but not so cold that my fingers went numb too quickly. I have found in recent years, that my extremities don't stay as warm as they once did. That aside, it was fun trying to catch the moon over the mountains as the gaps in the fast-moving clouds found their way across it's path. This photo was taken at the peak of the alpenglow, before the clouds you see here raced eastward and blocked direct sunlight on the slopes.
Explored 2016-09-19
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