Colorado

Hartman Rocks, Gunnison, Colorado

Janine is now done with our remaining portions of new Colorado photos!

Along with the sections I mentioned last week, we now have new sections for Crested Butte / Gunnision and from the North and South rims of the Black Canyon of Gunnision National Park.

For this photo I used my 24-105 at 65, f/16 at 1/3 of a second and a two stop soft edge graduated neutral density filter.

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San Juan Mountains, Colorado

Another fall photo from Colorado!

This was captured at 1/5 of a second at f/14 and ISO 400.  I used 400 because of the wind – I wanted to maximize the shutter speed, to minimize the movent in the brush.  This as with my 24-105 at 50mm.

Here are more photos of the San Juan Mountains in Colorado.

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Hartman Rocks Mountain Biking Trails, Gunnison, Colorado.

Typically on the blog I’m posting photos captured the day before, but I must admit, with all the Fall color photos I have been posting lately, I have fallen a bit behind.  Most of the autumn photos were captured over just two days, but it has taken a few more to share them.  We have actually been in Moab, Utah since this past weekend, and beginning tomorrow, I will begin posting photos from this area.

A week ago, I alluded to the mountain biking at Hartman Rocks Recreation Area, but never had a chance to follow up.  We have been fortunate enough to ride some great trails, like the Slickrock trail here in Moab, or our favorite, the McDowell Mountain Regional Park trails near Phoenix, but we now have a new favorite – these trails, well, rock!  They were so much fun!  Especially Rocky Ridge and Becks – they were really smooth single track trails, with lots of rises, dips and banked turns that allow you to go as fast as you can peddle.  I felt like I was 12 again – well, that isn’t all that unusual.  If you find yourself in the Gunnison area, check them out.

Here are more Crested Butte and Gunnison Colorado pictures.

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Ouray, Colorado

There are a lot of wonderful, historic, Western towns that have been beautifully restored, but none have the mountain setting that Ouray does!  The top photo is looking North, the bottom one, South.

Ouray, Colorado

Take a look at more of our Colorado photos and pictures.

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A waterfall near Ouray, Colorado.

I had to wade out and stand in this creek to get this perspective – it was cold!

Here are more Colorado photos!

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Dallas Divide, Colorado.

Here is a little tip that I often forget;  digital cameras capture some amazingly rich colors in dark light.  This photo for example was taken at least 15 minutes before sunrise – it was a 20 second exposure at f/11.  The images I captured of this scene with the first warm light of day hitting the hillside are nice and colorful, but look very different, and not nearly as rich as this image captured in very dark conditions.  By the way, I didn’t add any saturation with Photoshop.

The Fall images I have been posting this week were all captured by driving down relatively quite little dirt roads, some after a bit of walking around.  This is where I prefer spending time and photographing.  This photo on the other hand was actually captured from a large, popular pullout along a busy highway.  I said all along I wasn’t going to stop here, but it is just to nice to pass up, so yesterday morning I joined the crowds at this spot.

The other photographers gathered around here waited another 15 minutes before firing up their cameras, and probably thought I was a bit off shooting away in the dark like I was.  Well, I am a bit off, but this time it might have paid off.

Take a look at more of our Colorado pictures.

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San Juan Mountains, Colorado.

Well we received a lot of rain last night, which meant snow for the mountains.  What a treat – they sure look better with fresh snow!

Unfortunately, we also were hit by some very hard winds today.  Not only were the leaves being blown off the trees, we saw entire trees knocked down onto the highway.  We even saw a stop sign blown over.  Needless to say, thanks to the high winds, the window of opportunity for fall colors may have been even smaller then I anticipated.

San Juan Mountains, Colorado.

We have many more pictures of the San Juan Mountains.

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Sneffels Range, San Juan Mountains, Colorado.

Now we are talking!  I think we have found the amazing colors Colorado is known for.

Yesterday we moved to Ouray, Colorado – what a beautiful town!  I’m sure I will be posting photos of it eventually.  But, the trees around here are far healthier, looking great, and at or near peak.  The next few days should be a whirlwind – stormy weather is in the forecast, we need to cover as much ground as possible as this might be a wonderful, but small window of opportunity.

See more photos of our Colorado travels.

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Hartman Rocks, Gunnison, Colorado

We found this spot while out mountain biking earlier yesterday, and had to come back for sunset.  By the way, this area has some of the best mountain biking anywhere, but maybe more on that tomorrow.

See more Gunnison Colorado photos.

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- Janine riding the Upper Loop, Crested Butte, Colorado.

The Upper and Lower Loops in Crested Butte are great trails.  They run parallel a nice little stream, and wind through some great stands of pine and aspen as they climb up the valley.  It was a great place to ride and photograph!  At 9,000 feet, I’m glad we are acclimatized to the elevation – no wonder everyone looks so fit around here!

Check out more mountain biking pictures.

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A small patch of color along Highway 92, Colorado.

Finding nice patches of color has been a bit difficult, I think most photographers are hoping it improves next week.  This was the best patch of color I have seen in awhile.

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Crested Butte, Colorado.

Crested Butte is a really cool little ski town!  The old buildings in the main part of town have been carefully restored and colorfully painted – it is like this on both sides of the street for a number of blocks.  This town has a ton of character, and the surrounding area offers endless outdoor activities. [click to continue…]

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Janine at a viewpoint in Black Canyon Gunnison National Park, Colorado.

Last week we were in one of the busiest National Parks, Rocky Mountain National Park.  Last night we visited one most people probably never have heard of, Black Canyon of Gunnison Natonal Park, but we weren’t at all disappointed, it is a beautiful Park!  It consists primarily of Black Canyon.  Black Canyon is very dramatic, at places over 2,700 feet deep, with solid rock walls full of interesting shapes, patterns and textures – a photographers dream!  We plan on returning and spending a bit more time at this little gem.

Painted Wall, Black Canyon Gunnison National Park, Colorado.

For the image of Painted Wall, I used a 3 stop graduated neutral density filter, and a blend of two different exposures.

By the way, thanks for all the great location suggestions and advice I have received from readers of my last few posts – I really appreciate it!

Here are more pictures of the Black Canyon of Gunnision National Park, Colorado.

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Red Aspen during a snow storm, Monarch Pass, Colorado.

I  love finding the occasional patch of red aspen – they really stand out in the sea of yellow.

When we passed through Monarch Pass a couple of days ago the colors were amazing.  We went back yesterday  to find most of them had past, I’m sure thanks to the stormy weather.  Lots of areas around here are still green, and the stormy weather didn’t hurt those trees, so I think there will be lots of fall to come!

Here are many more fall photos of Colorado.

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Looking up towards Engineer Pass, Colorado.

We have moved down to Gunnison Colorado and are now trying to figure our way around this new area.  I think we are a tad early for the fall colors, which is good as it gives up more time to scout around this beautiful region.  Yesterday we explored down a couple of long dirt roads towards Engineer Pass and then Cinnamon Pass, both were a couple of great looking areas above the cool little town of Lake City, Colorado.  We look forward to returning as the colors progress.

See lots more Colorado pictures.

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