The Unnamed

We found many strikingly beautiful features in Paradise Park that were unnamed - lakes, streams, waterfalls, and even significant peaks. This is an unnamed waterfall just below the outlet of a large unnamed lake which is located in an unnamed cirque below a rugged, craggy unnamed peak. How's that for vague? For all you geo-inclined, its here - 40.19065833 N,-105.69019667 W.

View from Camp 2

On our 2nd day in Paradise Park, we only moved our camp about a 1/2 mile. We spent the rest of the day exploring down further in the basin - lush and gorgeous. After hiking most of the day (more of those pics will follow), we were treated to a stormy sunset dappling light across the rugged landscape. Rocks, tarns and mountains. Gotta love it!

Hiamovi Sunset

The first time you visit a new place, especially one that is remote and not well known, it takes a day or two to learn how the light falls across the landscape. Even planning with the best of tools - Google Earth, The Photographer's Ephemeris, topo maps & compass, we really needed to see for ourselves what the light would do at sunset and sunrise. Camping high above treeline our first night gave us the opportunity to watch the ending of one day and the beginning of another. The sun and mountains revealed some surprises. They didn't do exactly what we thought they would. So we modified plans for the next few days in an attempt to get the best out of our time.

Of course, the opportunity to photograph sunset from high in the mountains is always a treat, in and of itself. Here is an image looking South towards the headwaters of Paradise Creek, at the base of Hiamovi Mountain.

View of Paradise

I recently returned from a very special place - Paradise Park in Rocky Mountain National Park. This is a special research area. There are no established trails and overnight camping is prohibited. My good friend, Erik Stensland, obtained a special permit for us to stay several nights to photograph and document this little seen part of the park. It is SPECTACULAR. This is our 1st camp. More images will follow...

Calypso Cascades

This is the popular Calypso Cascades just 1.8 miles up from the Wild Basin trailhead. The mid-day light was not optimal for rushing water images. But I found this image pleasing to my eye, so I thought I'd share.

Pine Grosbeak

I ran into this colorful, fluffy, little guy along the Lion Lakes Trail (see previous post) just after sunrise. He was hopping around sipping dew off the bright green Whortleberry leaves and didn't seem to mind my company. This is the first Pine Grosbeak I've seen in all my years of hiking. So he had me guessing at his identification until I got home and looked him up in my bird guide. And yes, he is a "he." :-)

I started my day very early this morning - waking at 2:15am and driving to the trailhead. I donned my pack and headlamp and left the trailhead just before 4:00am, headed for Lion Lake #1, approximately 6.5 miles into the beautiful Wild Basin area of Rocky Mountain National Park. This is a strenuous hike, and the trail was very wet with snowmelt and remnants of previous day's rains, so I was pleased with my pace. I arrived at the lake shortly before 7:00am - too late for sunrise, but the light was still pretty nice as it worked its way across Mount Alice and down the hillside to the various ponds and lakes. Storm clouds began brewing very early this morning and I watched them pour over the ridges as I grabbed a quick snack. This was mostly a scouting trip (I plan to return later in the summer), so I didn't spend too much time at the lake though the incredible beauty beckoned me to explore for hours.

Here's a shot of Mount Alice before it was enveloped in clouds...

Happy 4th of July!

Here's a shot from last night's fireworks after the Colorado Rockies game at Coors Field...