Wildlife, landscape and weather photography
Mother Nature wasn’t too cooperative today with clouds and rain intruding heavily on mine and my son’s fall foliage drive. It seemed like we spent most of the time chasing the few spots of sun and they disappeared as soon as we arrived. I did manage a few nice captures including this one. Taken on the east side of Boreas Pass, Colorado looking toward Como.
Taken along Old Fall River Road about half way between the base and top. In this particular area, it was a bit hit or miss (more miss really) as to finding fall foliage this past weekend. However, the higher you went, the better your chances.
Many locations, particularly those above 9,000 feet, in the state’s high country will peak this coming weekend. If you’re planning to view the show, this will be the primary weekend to do it – I know I will be up there!
If you are in the Centennial State and not sure where to go, I offer up some thoughts on my weather website here.
I took a drive to the Colorado high country this morning and the leaves are just starting to hint at the change of seasons. In another couple of weeks, those trees will look like these aspen trees on Guanella Pass last year on September 24th. I can’t wait! I’ve already planned out at least one route that I will be taking.
Many folks that have never been here before envision Denver as being in the mountains. That is certainly not true. The Rocky Mountains lie just to the west of the Mile High City with Denver itself actually residing on the Great Plains.
This image, taken back in November, gives a good view of the landscape. Looking toward the west from a spot about eight miles northeast of downtown, you can see the city with the mountains towering in the background.
As everyone knows however, the city’s official elevation is one mile above sea level, 5,280 feet, as measured from the steps of the state capitol. That of course is where the city gets its primary nickname but it has also been called the Queen City of the Plains and the Queen City of the West at different times in history.
Taken back at the end of September from Boreas Pass not far from Breckenridge, Colorado. With the arrival of autumn the aspen trees were aglow and a snow the night before had coated the mountain peaks in a blanket of white.
The mountain in the background is the 13,829-foot high Mount Silverheels. While not one of the Centennial State’s famous fourteeners, it is a gorgeous, dominating peak with a fascinating story. The mountain is named after a dance hall girl from the nearby mining town of Buckskin Joe. Her real name is unknown but she earned her nickname due to the shoes she wore when she danced.
Legend has it that during a smallpox outbreak in 1861 she used her money to bring in doctors to fight the epidemic. She remained at the foot of the mountain while most other women and children fled to Denver. While she survived the smallpox, her face was scarred by the disease and she chose to remain isolated at her home at the foot of the mountain.
Buckskin Joe is now a ghost town and every now and then people report seeing a black veiled woman at the town’s cemetery placing flowers on the graves of those who died during the smallpox epidemic.
Ah yes, the changing of the seasons. It comes quick and never seems to last long enough.
This image was taken 10 days ago and the scene was absolutely gorgeous. Early morning light lit up the trees almost making them look like they were on fire. Above, very pretty clouds with some Colorado blue showing through.
Today if you were go to this same spot, it would not look anything like this. Many of the leaves are now gone in a sign that colder weather is not far away.
It was an absolutely beautiful morning on the Great Plains today with unseasonably warm temperatures and calm conditions. Looking toward the sunrise the view was ‘just okay’ but not overly impressive. However, turning west toward our mountains it was beautiful. The rising sun colored the mountains and clouds in shades of red. There was a monstrous wave cloud above , the snow-capped peaks below and fall colors in the foreground.
One from my son’s and mine ‘leaf peeping’ trip a few weeks ago. Lying on my back and with a wide angle lens on my camera, I snapped this image of the golden aspen trees on Guanella Pass, Colorado. Above, the high altitude deep blue skies and a passing wisp of a cloud.
My son and I had a lot of fun clambering around the side of this hill seeing what sort of compositions we could come up with. This one is probably one of my favorites.
For more pics of the fall colors from this year and previous years, see here.
I realized I didn’t really share too many of my pics of fall colors that I’ve gotten in recent weeks so reckon I should fix that. 😉
This particular one was taken near the southern end of Boreas Pass in Park County, Colorado. The sun had been up for a couple of hours and was illuminating the changing aspen trees in all their brilliant gold and as always, our beautiful blue skies were above.
Yes, this is the same area that the infamous South Park cartoon takes place in case you were wondering. 😀
It was probably the last, good weekend to view the changing foliage in Colorado’s high country and Rocky Mountain National Park’s Kawuneeche Valley was one of my stops. Temperatures had dropped to close to freezing and frost coated the grass and trees. In one spot, thick fog settled in obscuring the view but a hint of sun helped illuminate the golden leaves on aspen trees. It made for a very pretty, calm and quiet scene in one of the most beautiful places in the state.
