Some of my friends, family and fellow photographers wonder why the fixation with photography and in particular Rocky Mountain National Park. I don’t have a perfect answer for them, but both photography and Rocky Mountain National Park continue to be an obsession of mine.

For me, it’s the thrill of the unknown. Even though Rocky is a location I spend much of my time exploring, I leave feeling like I have not even scratched the tip of the iceberg. The possibilities are endless and no two days or sunrises are ever the same.

I had no idea what I would walk away with this morning at Cub Lake. Rocky was quite breezy when I arrived and the outlook for clouds in the sky or a colorful sunrise did not look promising.

Regardless, I was still pumped up for the hike and the potential on the ride up. Getting out on the trail in the pre-dawn hours regardless of the ultimate outcome is therapeutic to the soul. Rocky Mountain National Park is just to majestic a location to walk away empty handed, image or not. It’s mornings and experiences like these that keep me mesmerized with photography and Rocky Mountain National Park. What get’s you out of bed at 2:30 AM?

Landscape photographers love Moraine Park for it’s impressive views of the snow covered Continental Divide. The Big Thompson river meanders through Moraine Park making for great subject matter. Moraine Park is also host to an abundance of wildflowers which will begin to bloom in early June.

Wildlife photographers flock to Moraine Park during the fall Elk rut. Hundreds of photographers line the roadway’s and trails in and around Moraine Park to photograph the herds of Elk and this put on their mating display early in the morning, then late again in the evening. Mule Deer, Coyote, Fox and a large variety of Avian life keep Moraine Park popular with photographers all year.

Moraine Park has an interesting past as well. Moraine Park was homesteaded by some of the Estes Valley’s earliest settlers. Abner Sprague’s, one of Estes Park’s earliest settlers, guide, and hotelier, had his original homesteading plot located in Moraine Park. During this period of time, Moraine Park was known as Willow Park.

Abner Sprague eventually sold his homesteading plot to a cousin and settled a new claim opening a lodge near present day Sprague Lake. Abner Sprague would eventually reclaim the property he had sold in Moraine Park to his cousin and there he would run Steads Ranch and Inn as well as Sprague’s Lodge.

Spending a morning hiking through present day Moraine Park it’s hard to imagine that not all that long ago Moraine Park was a vacationers paradise. Steads Ranch had it’s fare share of modern world amenities and billed itself as a resort hotel. Steads had a large in ground pool, a golf course, stables, croquet, beautiful lobby and restaurant. Paradise at Steads could be had for a mere $8.75 a night or $58.20 for the week for a single room in 1953. The National Park Service eventually reclaimed this property in the early 1960’s and began restoring the area to it’s natural state.

It must have been an amazing experience to have visited Steads Ranch. While modern world amenities are nice, I have to say I much prefer Moraine Park restored to it’s natural setting. For the most part, very little signs remain of Willow or Moraine Park’s past history. Moraine Park’s biggest threat today are from the overabundance of Elk which eat and damage much of the fauna in the Park.

One of the old vestiges that harkens back to the Steads Ranch days are some of the older Ponderosa Pine tree’s that remain. There is one particular Ponderosa in Moraine Park that has always fascinated me. It’s divides into two sections and has been twisted and twirled by winds and weather. Large branches have been remove by lighting but even still, this sentinel of Moraine Park stands tall and beautiful.

This tree has stood witness to many events in it’s day. It stood watch when Steads hosted thousands of tourists at it’s swimming pool, golfers played rounds near it’s base, and fisherman walked the banks of the Big Thompson searching for trout. On this cool spring morning, with a fog and dew lifting over Moraine Park this tree now stands over a setting more becoming of it’s beauty and dignity.

Having the photography Gods shine down on you can be one of the most rewarding experiences one can have in the field. Of course you have to make sure your actually in a position to take advantage of the conditions your presented with. There is not a worse feeling than watching an amazing sunrise a half mile short of your intended destination, and I’ve been party to that on more than one occasion.

The end of last week was cloudy, cool and rainy on the Front Range. It was cool enough that the snow line was hovering around 9000 feet. Above 9000 feet, heavy wet snow was falling, even though the temperature was right around the freezing mark. It was supposed to stay cool and wet from Friday right through Sunday.

Knowing full well, that’s it’s hard to keep the Colorado Sun hidden behind clouds for an entire 3 days, I figured we could have an interesting sunrise. Even if a good Sunrise failed to materialize, I love shooting water features and other more intimate landscapes under the diffused and cloudy light. All the conditions were setting up for a no lose situation for photography.

With the conditions in mind I planned on hiking up to Emerald Lake above Dream Lake to photograph sunrise. This summer, I’m trying to avoid Dream Lake like the plaque. Not because Dream Lake is not one of the most beautiful alpine locations in all of Colorado, but very much for that reason.

So starting my hike from the Bear Lake trailhead, I had no intention of stopping or photographing Dream Lake. There was a nice fresh layer of snow coating all the tree’s and the Ranger cottage leaving Bear Lake. Fog and clouds were present over the lower lying areas of the Plains below, but clear blue sky was present above Rocky Mountain National Park.

Arriving at Emerald Lake after the 1.5 mile hike in, I found the surface of the lake to be frozen over with a thin layer of ice and snow. I would not be getting a reflection shot of Hallet in Emerald Lake, but the lake’s frozen surface with fresh snow looked intriguing enough. I was disappointed that it was looking like a cloudless, clear blue sky morning. As if on queue with my shutter firing off at first light, some clouds started to appear above Hallet.

I photographed at Emerald for 25 minutes or so. I was able to capture a beautiful red hue lighting Hallet, with clouds skating overhead. A small band of fog even formed over the surface of the frozen lake making for some nice images. Satisfied with the images I had captured of Emerald Lake, I packed up and headed back out towards my vehicle, the hike of course, would take me right past Dream Lake.

I’ve photographed Dream Lake plenty, for photographers Dream Lake can be like a moth to a flame. It’s hard not to be tempted by it’s idyllic scenery, symmetry of Hallet Peak and Flattop Mountain rising above. As I hiked around Dream Lake on my way out from Emerald, I half heartedly attempted to ignore the unfrozen and placid lake surface. I looked for some images of snow covered trees reflecting in Dream Lake, but found none that interested me.

I was making every attempt to photograph images other than the iconic image of Dream Lake from the eastern outlet. As I neared the eastern outlet, the moth in could no longer resist the flame. This was especially true when I stopped to look back at Hallet and Flattop and noticed that the early morning cloud cover was quickly intensifying over the Lake.

It was at that point, that I could no longer resist temptation. I hastily flung my backpack off and quickly started making images of this beautiful morning. As soon as I framed Hallet and Flattop reflecting in the glass surface of the lake, I was grateful I temporarily at least ended my Dream Lake embargo.

I was treated to rain, snow, and fog all in the last few days. While it’s been grey and dreary down here around Boulder and most have my Sun worshiping friends are experiencing withdrawal symptoms from lack of Sun the last three days, I’ve been reveling in what I consider great weather, for photography at least.

I had some of the most amazing conditions on Saturday which I’ll share in my next post. For now, I’ll leave you with an image I made this morning in McGraw Ranch area of Rocky Mountain National Park.

I spent last week wandering around the Wild Basin area of Rocky Mountain National Park. Wild Basin is a lesser visited section of Rocky located in the southeastern half of the Park. It’s a favorite photographic destination of mine. While there are beautiful alpine lakes in Wild Basin, they require one way hikes of up to six miles or more to visit. Wild Basin requires a bit more effort than some other areas of the park if your looking for peaks reflecting in lakes.

What makes Wild Basin so interesting to me is all of the creeks, streams and falls that course the area. In many ways it can feel more like your on the wetter western slope of Colorado, than the drier eastern facing mountains. The North St. Vrain, Cony Creek and Ouzel Creek all make for great subjects in the spring, feeding many of the interesting water features located in Wild Basin.

Wild Basin is a good change of pace for me. The scenery in the lower half of Wild Basin may not be as dramatic as other areas of Rocky, but it’s unique and rewarding to scamper along the boulders of the creeks looking for interesting and unique images.

I prefer to head to Wild Basin when it’s rainy and overcast. The diffused lighting is great for photographing the streams and forest. I could spend a lifetime of cloudy days photographing and exploring along the banks of the many creeks.

Old Fall River Road is the original right of way that tourists and visitors would travel through Rocky Mountain National Park. In fact, Fall River Road predates the inception of Rocky Mountain National Park and at one time was the only road connecting Larimer and Grand Counties. Trail Ridge Road is now the main thoroughfare through Rocky, but Old Fall River Road remains a popular destination when open for one-way car travel from July until early fall or the first snowfall.

The seasonal closure of Old Fall River Road makes Chasm Falls a great hiking destination the remaining portion of the year. With Fall River Road closed for the season and the parade of cars held at bay by a locked NPS brown gate, time spent photographing Chasm Falls is a far more intimate experience.

I’ve visited and photographed Chasm Falls many times in the past. Prior to this visit, I’ve always photographed Chasm Falls like most park visitors, by driving to it. Chasm Falls is in reality the first actual pull off along the steep windy road. Most visitors to Rocky Mountain stop here to view the falls on the way to the Alpine visitor center. Because it’s so popular in the summer with Fall River open to auto traffic, it can be difficult to connect with the place.

Edward Abbey, a favorite author of mine advocated removing all the roads from the National Parks. Abbey felt that if these natural areas were of such importance, visitors should have to put in the effort and see them on foot, in a more natural and less corrupted setting. While I don’t share Abbey’s viewpoint on the matter, spending time alone at Chasm Falls without the parade of auto’s and visitors made for a much more organic and enlightening experience.

Photographing alone at Chasm Falls, there were no distractions, no human voices or sounds of cars and car alarms. With only the sound of Fall River and the birds in the trees I was able to take my time, slow down, and really enjoy and connect with my surroundings. Abbey’s thoughts lingered in my head for the remainder of the day. My experience this day at Chasm Falls, devoid of cars and on foot was enlightening. Maybe Abbey was on to something?

Albert Bierstadt’s paintings of the American West, featured dramatic skies, clouds and mountains that helped to dramatize, some would say overly so, the landscapes of the early American West. There are two landmarks named after the famous Hudson River School painter in the state of Colorado. Mt. Bierstadt, and Rocky Mountain National Park’s Bierstadt Lake.

Bierstadt Lake lies atop the Bierstadt Moraine and boasts some of the best views of Hallet Peak, Flattop Mountain, Mt. Otis, Thatchtop, and Notchtop. At sunrise, Bierstadt Lake presents the photographer with impressive lighting and views of the these northeasterly facing peaks.

Bierstadt Lake is a fairly good size lake compared to the other lakes Alpine and Sub-Alpine lakes of Rocky. If you can happen to be at Bierstadt under the right conditions, with little wind and clouds floating over the famous peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park you can easily be transported into a scene that seems reminiscent of a Bierstadt painting.

This particular morning was just one of those very mornings at the lake. Bierstadt Lake is a favorite location of mine. I’ve photographed quite a few beautiful sunrises from the shores of Bierstadt. A large approaching storm from the west was starting to settle in over Rocky this day. This was a ‘calm before the storm’ moment. Even as the storm moved in, there was no wind present and the clouds had not yet moved far enough east to obscure the sunrise.

I setup my camera on my tripod and waited for the first rays of the morning to illuminate the peaks. As a photographer who has been lucky enough to witness and photograph many beautiful sunrise’s, I still get just as excited, if not more so when I’m on the cusp of photographing a location under what I believe is going to yield dramatic conditions and light. The anticipation and excitement as the scene unfolds is difficult to describe in words alone.

With the click of the shutter as the first rays of light hit the peaks, time seems to slow as the light show unfolds. In many ways for me, it’s like I’m not even photographing at all. It’s an experience and a feeling I don’t want to come to an end. As soon as it begins it’s just as quick to come to an end. The light fades and flattens and it’s time to pack up and hike out.

Albert Bierstadt’s paintings were often criticized for their overly dramatic and indulgent lighting, color and size of presentation. After morning’s like this at Bierstadt’s lake, I can deeply appreciate what Bierstadt was attempting to convey in his paintings. To those of us lucky enough to witness lighting such as this we know that Albert may have been too conservative in his presentation of his art and vision.

With the warm temperatures and early spring continuing, there are lots of current photographic opportunities in Rocky Mountain National Park that are occurring much earlier in the year than is typical. I realize this abstract of Glacier Creek just Loch Vale may be a bit too abstract for some, but I spent a good deal of time photographing this portion of Glacier Creek a few weeks ago and came away with some different views.

Typically, this portion of Glacier Creek would be buried under heavy winter snows through most of April. Stopping to photograph this spot a few weeks ago, the green moss on the rocks of the creek bed stood out in great contrast to the white winter snow that surrounded the small opening that had formed on Glacier Creek revealing the early spring runoff.

I setup my tripod precariously along the banks of Glacier Creek. It was difficult to setup in a location that provided a clean vantage point of the opening on the creek, while not sliding down a large bank and ending up in the creek itself. I attached a polarizer to my 70-200mm lens to cut down on the glare and emphasize the green moss on the rock, contrasted against the white snow. All in all it was an image I had not visualized photographing on my hike up to The Loch for sunrise, but I’m quite pleased with the images I walked away with this morning.