The setting sun blesses the crests of the dune field with rich, warm light in the shadows of the west escarpment of Medano Peak (middle distance), and the Crestone Peaks (far distance), Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado. At larger sizes, patches of bright yellow aspen can be discerned in the growing twilight. Medano Peak is actually the original name of what is currently referred to as Mount Herard (13,345 ft, 4068 m), but the mountain has only worn that moniker for 32 years. Apparently a white guy with the surname of Herard claimed land near the foot of the mountain in 1876, and notwithstanding this fact, it’s unclear to me why we should change a mountain’s name from what everyone knows it to be. Denali is case in point.

In the foreground, Star Dune forms the highest point in the dune field, and rises to a height of 750 ft. (230 m) above the floor of the San Luis Valley. At this height, Star Dune is the tallest dune in the United States. The dune field is almost half a million years old, and formed from sand and silt deposits from a vast glacier-fed lake that once existed not far to the west. The strong winter winds out of the west have worked on those ancient lake sediment deposits for a good long time now, and the process continues to the present day. As mineral-rich gusty air out of the west collides with the western flank of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the east, sand continues to drop out in the eddies as the dunes imperceptibly grow ever higher.

Explored 2016-10-21

Tags:   sand sand dunes Great Sand Dunes Great Sand Dunes National Park sunset magic hour National Parks National Park U.S. National Parks evening autumn autumn sunset San Luis Valley Colorado Colorado Rockies Sangre de Cristo Mountains mountains Rocky Mountains dune dunes

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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

Tags:   full moon moon moonset reflections reflection Red Rock Lake Continental Divide Colorado Colorado Rockies Rocky Mountains Indian Peaks Indian Peaks Wilderness subalpine lake water mountains mountain light alpenglow alpine lake clouds morning morning light sunrise dawn forest serene Harvest Moon

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One of the most striking granitic towers in the Valle Francés, El Catedral is lit up in the late morning sun, with characteristically wild Patagonian clouds swirling behind its pinnacle. Given the climbing history of this valley, I assume there are numerous routes up the face to the top, but I was not able to find much of a description of their difficulty or duration. I was only in Torres del Paine for 7 days, and we were blessed with gorgeous and near-windless weather the entire time, but I have heard that wind and storms can transform the massif into a punishing cold, wet, and difficult place. I can only imagine being stuck up on that rock in those conditions! However, on this particular day, it was warm, dry and a wonderful place to eat some salami and crackers while trying to remember to close my mouth as I gaped around me.

On the descent back down to Campo Italiano, we again crossed paths with John Garner and Oscár - those who originally blazed the Paine Grande Circuit in 1976. Two days previously we had discussed the impact of tourists on the natural beauty of the Park, and I again wondered how the current day compared to when he was a young man of 23, exploring the valleys and slopes on horseback, and wearing woolens.

I processed this version of the photo with a yellow filter, and did so to bring out the details of the clouds and darken the sky. I'll post the color version next, and I'm interested to hear which one you like best and why.

Tags:   El Catedral Valle Francés Mirador Britanico Patagonian Beech Patagonia granite towers peaks Torres del Paine Andes Andes Mountains Southern Andes Chile monochrome black and white mountains Cordillera Paine clouds

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The Grand Tetons intercept early morning light from the vantage of Schwabacher Landing, and put on a glorious show of alpenglow that is reflected in the calm waters of a beaver pond, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

This astounding view is exceedingly accessible, being only a couple hundred feet from the gravel parking lot near the bank of the Snake River. Of course, upon arriving I was unsure whether perhaps more delectable sights might be waiting upriver further along the trail. As I was only the second person there, I decided to explore a little bit and come back here later. After a little over a quarter of a mile, nothing rivaled what I first saw, but I did see a beaver a few moments before it saw me and vanished under the calm surface. By the time I returned to this scene, maybe 8 other photographers had arrived and had set up their gear, and were waiting to see what unfolded. I have to admit that I almost needed to pinch myself when the sun's first rays began striking the peaks - the shade of pink was not something I've seen very many times, and the calmness of the water was surreal. And I even managed to find a few late-season blooms along the bank.

Many thanks for looking! Also, if you ever want a kick, listen to Siri pronounce "Schwabacher"...

Explored 2016-09-09

Tags:   Grand Tetons Grand Teton National Park Schwabacher Landing dawn sunrise summer sunrise reflections reflection wildflowers flowers Snake River slough clouds mountains Grand Teton Rocky Mountains Northern Rockies alpenglow

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I attempted to photograph both sunrise and sunset on the longest day of 2016, and I came *very* close to making it happen. I managed to get up fairly early, but alas, it was not early enough to make it to where I wanted to go to watch the glowing orb make its way above the horizon. By the time I was on the road, the sun had already risen, and it was the best I could do to capture it as you see here - already somewhat high in the sky.

That said, I was pleased with this shot for several reasons. First, the mist blanketing the meadow is rare for Boulder County, since we uncommonly experience the humidity required to produce it. Second, it was only after I got home and looked at large sizes that I noticed all the fascinating little spider webs spun around the oblong spent teasel flowers. Although beautiful in silhouette, teasel is a relatively aggressive invasive in North America. Complicating the picture, goldfinches apparently like to eat its seeds. I suppose if one desires simplicity, it's best not to learn too much about nature...

Tags:   sunrise sunlight sun solstice summer summer solstice dawn teasel Dipsacus mist golden light golden hour Colorado Boulder County spider webs

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