Heart of the Sierras – July, 2016, Bear Paw Lake, Eastern Sierras, CA

After climbing the snow-laden pass out of Royce Lakes at 12,500 feet, we were treated to this incredible sunset on our first night in Bear Lake Basin. The heart-shaped rock in the foreground was appropriate for the rosy skies we were witnessing while setting up camp and the inspiration for the name of this shot. If you look closely, you can see a break in the spine to the left where we came through the pass from Royce Lakes a few hours earlier.

SEASON’S LAST GRAZE – September, 2016, Ridgeway, Colorado

With a storm approaching, these horses, used for trail rides throughout the summer, were getting the last bits of grass before being stabled for the winter. The golden aspens and the snow-capped San Juan Mountains made a dramatic backdrop to this otherwise pastoral scene.

KEBLER GOLD – October 1, 2015, Kebler Pass, Colorado

Linking one of Colorado’s quaint ski towns, Crested Butte, to Highway 133 near the southern end of Paonia State Park is Gunnison County Road 12, otherwise known as “Kebler Pass.” The elevation for the pass is 10,007 feet and is home to one of the Earth’s largest living organisms - an aspen grove that spans miles of this seasonal scenic byway. On the last day of my annual fall trip and before heading the opposite direction to catch my plane home, I was hoping to catch early morning light on a panoramic view staked out the evening before. The clouds and sun did not cooperate for that shot, but were perfect for diffusing the light to catch this close-up just off the road.