Colorado Journal
Where to Shoot Fall Colors in Winter Park
Winter Park, Colorado, isn’t known for sweeping views of golden aspen leaves and Autumn colors in the fall like the San Juans or the Maroon Bells. However, my home-away-from-home still has some nice color at the end of September and early October if you know where to look...
My Favorite Wildflower Hikes near Winter Park, Colorado
Wildflower hikes near Winter Park, Colorado, can be stunning in the summer. Trails follow cold, clear streams lined with wildflowers of purple, pink, yellow, blue and many more. These are a few of my favorite places to explore.
Winter Park Thoughts, Wildflowers, and Drones
It’s 12 degrees in Winter Park, Colorado, as I write this short blog. On a cold day like this I’m burrowed inside. I much prefer the summer months in the mountains – the wildflowers, long hikes into the quiet valley or to summit a lofty peak, and the warmer sunshine of a perfect afternoon...
The Blue Lakes near Ouray - a Beautiful Morning
* Please note most of the "trail" photos in this blog were taken with my cell phone. The lake images were taken with a slightly better camera :-)
Nestled in the Mount Sneffels Wilderness Area near Ouray, one of my favorite trails in all of Colorado leads up to the magnificent turquoise wataers of the Blue Lakes...
Lone Eagle Peak - Indian Peaks Wilderness
Everyone has places they go to in their daydreams. Indian Peaks Wilderness and Lone Eagle Peak is one of those places for me. Between Winter Park and Grand Lake, Colorado, in Grand County, just off Highway 34, a dirt road takes you ~ 15+ miles around the south side of Lake Granby...
Electric Pass, Maroon Bells Wilderness
The Maroon Bells Wilderness Area is one of my favorite places in all of Colorado. The view of the Bells from Maroon Lake is obviously the most well known, but exciting and beautiful hikes await if you are willing to get off the beaten path and try a few new places...
A Morning in the Life of a Photographer
I’ve been told I take “pretty pictures” and “it must be nice to take pictures for a living.” While I appreciate the sentiment, it is not always easy, or even enjoyable. On a recent attempt to walk over to Mount Flora (a 13er) near Berthoud Pass (near Winter Park, Colorado), I had a not-so-enjoyable experience...
Colorado Fall Colors 2019
Autumn is winding down, and as cooler temperatures stream in from the north and the last of the golden aspen leaves dance back and forth to the ground, I’m left with some good memories and a computer filled with RAW files of Colorado fall colors images from the 2019 season...
Hiking the Continental Divide Trail near Berthoud Pass
The Continental Divide Trail (CDT) spans 3,100 miles from Mexico to Canada. On the west side of the trail, rivers flow to the Pacific; to the east the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. A portion of this long trail passes through Berthoud Pass near Winter Park, Colorado...
Colorado's Grand Mesa
I think one of the lesser-traveled areas in the Centennial state is on the western slope – Grand Junction and the Grand Valley. A few weeks ago I had a chance to visit and old friend and Grand Junction local who, in his kindness, took time to show me around for a quick photo trip...
Colorado Wildflower Season Begins
As Colorado wildflowers begin to show up in the Rocky Mountains, I look forward to some colorful and scenic vistas. As I make my home base in Winter Park and the Fraser valley, I usually start in this area...
Grand County and Winter Park Exploring
I call Winter Park, Colorado, my home away from home. As the biggest ski town of Grand County, this resort town is the gateway to the Fraser Valley and includes the towns of Fraser, Tabernash, Granby, and Grand Lake...
Autumn Colors in the San Juan Mountains
Autumn colors in the San Juan Mountains are, in most years, amazing, especially at the end of September through the first week in October. I was fortunate enough to spend a week photographing the green, gold, orange and red colors from McClure Pass to Cimarron, Owl Creek Pass to the Dallas Divide, and over to Ophir and Telluride...
Climbing Uncompaghre Peak
A cold winter’s day has left me daydreaming about summer, and one of those memories leads me to Uncompaghre Peak deep in the San Juan range. As one of Colorado’s most beautiful 14ers, the drive and hike to this summit is amazing and worth the time put in...
Grand County, Colorado - My happy place
Since I was a kid, I've been frequenting Grand County, and especially the Fraser Valley and the Grand Lake Area. and I'm shocked when I realize I've been coming up here for 30+ years. Where has the time gone...
The Magic of Winter Snow - Winter Park, Colorado
Morning sunlight on freshly fallen snow is magical. The way the sun’s rays reflect off tiny ice crystals and slant through the pine trees reminded me recently why I love the mountains in winter. I was fortunate enough to spend a few weeks at our home-away-from-home in Winter Park, Colorado, in late December and early January...
My Favorite Photos from 2020
I think most of us will be ready to bid adieu to 2020 in a few days. The past 10 months have been difficult for many, and even tragic for folks, too. I hope in some small way, my photographs of Colorado's beauty can help just a bit, though I know it can never undo the damage - emotionally, physically, financially - many have experienced...
Milky Way over Rocky Mountain National Park
While my wife holds down the home front, I’ve been gallivanting around Colorado in the middle of the night photographing the Milky Way. While I don’t like losing out on sleep, I do hold special those times I am alone under a night sky in a place free of light pollution...
The Beauty of Rattlesnake Canyon and Rattlesnake Arches
It started several months ago when I was researching “off the grid” places to shoot. Colorado National Monument had been one of my favorite locations as I love the canyons and red rock...
Favorite Colorado Wildflower Locations - Daydreaming
As the mountains sit in the rising shadow of winter – and without much snow – I’m inside and warm and dreaming about summer. While going back through some old files, especially those of Colorado wildflowers, I wanted to share a few of my favorite locations in no particular order...
Maroon Bells and Summit County Exploring
In some of my blogs, I’ve mentioned my life-long friend, Matt, and the adventures we’ve been on. Every summer, we receive permission from our wives to hike and explore about once a week. Some of those trips are long day-trips and some turn into overnighters...
Grays Peak - Prelude to Something...
Ten years ago a buddy and I hiked Grays and Torreys Peak, meeting at midnight at a central location, then starting the hike around 2 am under the full moon. The goal was to enjoy a full moonset to the west and a sunrise to the east while standing on top of the word...
A Day in Rocky Mountain National Park
For nearly 30 years, I’ve been hiking the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park. Back in college, I also spent a few summers working in the Fraser Valley. During that time, I took a lot of folks fly-fishing, and I learned some great little secret places to fish along the way...
Colorado National Monument - Colorado's Hidden Gem
Last week I had the chance to revisit one of Colorado’s less touristy gems - Colorado National Monument. Located just west of Grand Junction and south of Fruita, this national park sits high on the Colorado Plateau...