Colorado Fall Colors, South Fork San Miguel River

Looking down at the upper South Fork of the San Miguel River, October 1, 2018.

After a slow start the past few weeks due to warm temperatures, the fall colors in the high country of southwest Colorado have picked it up.

Highway 145 stormy day fall colors near Telluride, Colorado.

Some might call this "peak colors", but I don't. It's close, though. Still a lot of green aspen leaves mixed in with the yellow. And now we have rain pushing in from the south due to a hurricane turned tropical storm that made landfall on the Baja Peninsula. But it's relatively warm rain. So it will be interesting to see how things continue to play out for the rest of this week.

Photo location: Along Colorado Highway 145 south of Telluride, Colorado.

See much more of my photography on my website: www.NaturalMoment.com.

© Copyright 2018 Stephen J. Krieg

Spring Begins In The High Country

Lone Cone Peak, from the south in early May, 2018.

The re-emergence of plant growth happens last in the high country. We watch it move up from the lowest elevations to the highest. From the warmest to the coolest.

Early springtime in the mountains is what I call one of my two "in-between" seasons. Most of the beautiful snow is gone, but the green has not begun. It's mostly brown across the land, except for the conifer trees. It's in between.

Willow blossoms.

It's a very dry spring here in the Southwest. The snow has melted early, and so the plants respond accordingly.

Far below Lone Cone Peak, some of the Canada geese have their hatchlings on the edge of the lake for the first time.

Geese hatchlings on the lake.

On the San Juan National Forest I had lunch in a mountain meadow that was not long ago under snow. The flowers of the willows ("pussy willows") along the cold mountain stream glowed in the warm sunlight.

"Pussy willows" flower buds, San Juan National Forest. 

To the north, on the mighty Uncompahgre Plateau (Uncompahgre National Forest) I was disappointed to find out that I had already missed the peak blossoming of the Arrowleaf Balsamroot plants. Those earlybirds were extra early this year.

Arrowleaf Balsamroot blossoms, Uncompahgre National Forest.

I enjoyed their next in line successors of the early wildflower season. Oregon grape. Pasqueflower.

Pasqueflower.

At lower elevations, the Gambel oak trees were flowering and beginning to leaf out. I always love seeing them finally emerge because, tough as they are, they seem very cautious about whether the last freezes have passed. And even they get caught wrong, as happened last year.

Gambel Oak, emergence time.

From further above there were lovely sight lines across the top of the Uncompahgre Plateau and to the distant snowy San Juan Mountains peaks.

Early spring hues across the top of the Uncompahgre. Such subtle hues and intriguing patterns of the land.

I was tempted to drive the rest of the length of the Uncompahgre Plateau that afternoon. But it's a long though lovely way. Instead I turned around and descended the switchbacks back down to the San Miguel River.

Ponderosa pines, high mountain meadow, and the shining San Juan Mountains.

See more of my best photography on my website: www.NaturalMoment.com.

Copyright 2018 Stephen J. Krieg

San Juan Mountains Alpenglow

San Miguel Mountains just before sunset.

Fresh snow on the high peaks of the San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado. An evening free all to myself. Great springtime weather. What to do? Get out there and combine them! Photographically, of course.

From Norwood in the southwest corner of Montrose County I drove south on a paved County road that heads straight toward Lone Cone Peak, possibly my favorite mountain. So far.

On the way down the road, the sunset was getting near. I stopped to shoot the San Miguel Range to the southeast. Then drove on.

Alpenglow on the San Miguel Mountains.

But only a few minutes later the San Miguels lit up pink with alpenglow from the sunset reflecting off the clouds above it, from the west.

Alpenglow on northwest face of Lone Cone Peak.

Finally, Lone Cone reflected the same alpenglow off of its snowy northwestern slope.

A very fine early springtime evening in the southwest Colorado high country.

Photo location: Montrose Country, near Norwood, Colorado.

© Copyright 2018 Stephen J. Krieg

Bedrock, Colorado

The Bedrock Store at Bedrock, Colorado. 

It was the last day of February, and it felt time to take another long drive into the mountains of southwest Colorado. To them, between them, through them. Why not? (My usual excuse, as if I need one).

My first real stop (meaning for photos, rather than merely admiring the passing scenery) was Bedrock, Colorado. A tiny hamlet in the middle of nowhere, truly. Wide open high desert scenery. Snowy mountain ranges to the west and to the east. No services, not even a convenience store. Gas up your vehicle well beforehand.

Which is not a put-down, merely advice. I love these rural, clean air, wide open skies kind of places. As usual, the locals waved to me as our cars passed, even though they did not recognize me. I have experienced this many times in rural areas, where people look after each other, including strangers. Especially when the weather is bad.

Highway 90 west from Bedrock toward the La Sal Mountains in Utah.

But this was not a bad weather day. More like an early spring day. Warm in the sunlight, chilly in the shade.

At Bedrock, which is nothing more than a wide spot on the highway (and not even very wide) I once again photographed the Bedrock Store, that irresistibly historic building. Looking like an Old West general store. Several years ago when I first make my way through Bedrock, the store was open. It was fascinating inside. I bought a little something, then continued on my way.

The next time I passed through, the store was closed. With a sign saying the owner was experiencing health problems. And again the next time I was there.

But now I hear that it's open once again. Limited hours. As in: when whomever running it is there.

See much more of my photography at my website: www.NaturalMoment.com.

© Copyright 2018 Stephen J. Krieg

High Peaks Sunrise and Valley Fall Colors

Moon setting at dawn, Rico, Colorado, October 7.

October 7, and I was driving up the Dolores River valley in southwest Colorado for another day of experiencing the fall colors. It was still dark as I left Cortez, and cruised through the town of Dolores.

Approaching Rico, dawn was occurring. When it got light enough to take decent landscape photos, I made some compositions with the just past Full moon getting ready to set behind the San Juan Mountains with their aspen forests fall colors.

Dawn at the beaver ponds on the edge of Rico.

At the edge of town I turned off on a gravel road that I knew bordered some old beaver ponds. A nice wide open view of the mountains, and a glassy reflection provided by the water's surface.

Sunrise on the high peak, above and below.

I was about to continue on my way when the sunrise lit up a high peak above timberline with an orange glow. And reflected on the pond's surface.

See more of my photography on my website: www.NaturalMoment.com.

Photo location: Rico, southwest Colorado.

© Copyright 2017 Stephen J. Krieg

Rico, Colorado Fall Colors

Fall colors from Rico Community Church on an overcast morning, September 30, 2017.

As I track the progression of the fall colors in the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado, I return again and again to the tiny community of Rico. Once the county seat when it was a mining boom town, it's now part tourist destination, part bedroom community for people working in Telluride.

At about 8,800 feet in elevation it's a good bellweather of what's going on in the high country, ringed by high mountain peaks.

Fall colors on a sunny afternoon, October 7, 2017.

I returned a week later, on a perfect early October day. Warm, no haze to speak of, and no wind.

Photo location: Rico, Colorado.

See more of my photography on my website: www.NaturalMoment.com.

© Copyright 2017 Stephen J. Krieg

High Country Summer

Colorado Hwy. 145 near Lizard Head Pass

It was the end of June, and I had not been back up into the southwest Colorado high country in over a month.

Up the Dolores river valley from the quaint and historic river town of Dolores on Highway 145. Up past the hamlet of Stoner, and Rico, my favorite mountain town. But I could not stop there, as I had a long way to go.

Lizard Head Pass, late June.

The aspen forests high above were in full greenery, as were the alpine tundra fields above them, even if only slightly less so. Shades of green against blue mountains, and skies.

Lizard Head Peak, from the Pass.

And before long I was back up at Lizard Head Pass. The snowfields above timberline had been melting rapidly. The uppermost reaches of the streams were losing their turbidity (muddy-ness) after the high water mark of spring runoff of the snowfields in the surrounding mountains.

I settled into a campsite. A "dispersed campsite", meaning it was just a spot on the National Forest. No facilities, just me and nature. There was a well used fire ring there, but I had no desire for a campfire.

I began to look around at the wildflowers.

Then some deer walked almost right through my camp. Alert but relatively unconcerned, they know when it's hunting season and when it's not.

See more of my photography at www.NaturalMoment.com.

© Copyright 2017 Stephen J. Krieg

Southwest Colorado Fall Colors

Colorado Blue Spruce trees in aspen stand, September 24.

I stopped in at the Sunshine Campground not far south of Telluride, Colorado on the Uncompahgre National Forest. I wasn't camping, I was looking for new views of aspen fall colors.

Quaking Aspen leaves at peak color, southwest Colorado.

Aspen leaves against a dark green background of spruce trees makes them look like they are shimmering.

There had been a dusting of early snow on the highest peaks.

 Photo location: San Juan Mountain Range, southwest Colorado.


© Copyright 2016 Stephen J. Krieg

Fall Colors in Colorado

Historic Trout Lake Trestle, near Trout Lake, Colorado.

I was up in the San Juan mountain range in southwest Colorado again. Another high country fall season, another compelling reason to get back up there and experience it again.

For me the autumn colors of the aspen stands are the crowning glory of fall there. But there are many more subtle shades of color down low to the earth. Shrubs, forbs, grasses. Yellows, reds and browns set against the deep greens of the conifer trees.

For this photograph, I had been driving the forest road between Trout Lake and Lizard Head Pass. It pretty much follows the route of the historic railroad that ran there in the late 1800's. So it's an easy drive for any vehicle, since trains can't handle steep grades.

In this photo, I stopped to photograph the Trout Lake Trestle, with the mountain brook tumbling beneath it and one of the first snows of fall on the distant peaks.

Photo location: Uncompahgre National Forest south of Telluride, San Miguel County, Colorado.

© Copyright 2016 Stephen J. Krieg

Chill Of An Early Fall?

Vermilion Peak, early snow, August 27.

This past week has been exceptionally cool for late August in Four Corners Country. Oh, sure, a weather anomaly can send you a respite from the summer heat for a day or two.

But not like this, and it looks to continue for a while at least.

Thus when I returned to Lizard Head Pass in southwest Colorado's San Juan Mountains I probably should not have been wearing shorts and a t-shirt. As I drove higher and higher up the Dolores River watershed, that became clearer and clearer. At the pass, it was hailing. Then cold rain. Then a break before repeating again and again.

A muddy campsite. Clouds shifting around the high peaks delightedly. Changing to warmer clothing. Cooking up a campsite stew, and coffee. Retreating to the vehicle in the hail and rain.

Savoring the views. Appreciating the experience.

© Copyright 2016 Stephen J. Krieg

Sheep Mountain Summer Sunset

A slit in the clouds at sunset allowed the sun through onto the lower flanks of Sheep Mountain.

Rainy weather in the high country of southwest Colorado lost its power at sunset time, as it often does, making for constantly changing landscape light.

Subalpine meadow vegetation shows even more saturated colors when wet.

High country shadows and light at sunset.

Fog and forest.

A closeup of Sheep Mountain's crags.

A tinge of sunset colors in the summit-clinging clouds.

© Copyright 2016 Stephen J. Krieg

San Juans Summer Evening

San Juan Mountains, Colorado.

A rainy, rainy summer day. It seemed like I was following the wet weather up into the San Juans.

I found a campsite and settled in. Raining so hard I stayed in the truck and enjoyed it from there, listening to the radio.

As sunset approached, the clouds parted.

Photo location: San Juan Mountains, southwest Colorado.

© Copyright 2016 Stephen J. Krieg

Colorado Wildflowers

Blue Columbine, San Juan Mountains, Colorado. Some still, some moving.

The sun was shining and the breeze was blowing the flowers around. The Meadows in southwest Colorado's San Juan Mountains was calling me to pull over and appreciate them a little closer. 

© Copyright 2016 Stephen J. Krieg

San Juan Mountains, Colorado, Late Fall

Early Snow Traces, San Juan Mountains, Colorado

Near Silverton in the southwest Colorado high country, I was in search of autumn photos. October is kind of late for the highest country, but the traces of the first snows accented the parts of the mountains where the sun didn't reach in the warmest part of they day.

Camera: Canon EOS 5D. Lens: Canon EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 USM