Rise Above

Blue Lakes Pass, Southwest Colorado, San Juan Mountains, Sunrise, Mt. Sneffels Wilderness

I finally got clouds at one of my favorite locations!  Blue Lakes Pass located in the San Juan Mountains in Southwest Colorado is one of my favorite locations in Colorado.  I’ve been going here for a couple of days every year for almost 3 years now and I always seem to get a nice sunrise, but nothing I consider print worthy.  Finally this past fall was a nice change and I had awesome clouds to go with a amazing sunrise.

After tent camping the night before with a couple of good friends, I hiked up to the ridge in the dark and cold.  It was a little sketchy in the dark and my friends actually ended up turning back about half way.  The clouds were moving very quickly and I’d get glimpses of a brilliant crescent moon in between the gaps.  I was hopeful the clouds wouldn’t all clear out before sunrise as they have on me so many times in the past.  This time everything worked out and there was enough of a gap on the horizon for the sun to shoot through and light up the clouds giving me an amazing sunrise show.

Shot of our tents from the night before:

BlueLakesCamp-Blog

 

 

 

Catch Fire

Moab, Utah, Sunrise, Mesa Arch, National Park

Finally a new image!  I know, I know…it’s been a while!  I should have several more coming over the next few months.  This past fall I was able to get out for some great backpacking trips to Zion, Canyonlands, Arches, and Death Valley.

This is a shot from the iconic Mesa Arch, in Canyonlands National Park near Moab, Utah.  When the sun pops over the La Salle mountains the light reflects off the sheer cliff walls and bounces up to illuminate the arch.  Truly a breathtaking location for sunrise!