Rocky Mountain National Park was one of my last adventures in photography before three solid days of “heading back” home.
I got to the West Side of the Park late in the afternoon and decided to go for a short hike before heading over to Estes Park on the east side, where I was staying. … so much for a short 50 miles to the other side. In the dark it was a little trecherous for a midwesterner making hairpin curves with no side rail knowing full well that the drop off on the mountain was sheer down! Trail Ridge Road was quite vacant and black as any night I had ever seen. The clouds kept the full moon and the stars from shining any light at all down on me or my nervous situation.
The next day however made Ridge Road and me great friends. The sunny morning gave way to moody storm clouds and gave me brilliant photography as I made my way back to the East side of the park and observed what I was unable to see the night before.
Of course I must hike or run in every place that I make images. Whether I am making images from the hike itself or simply experiencing Nature as she is it seems essential to me anymore to immerse myself in the knowledge of the land. Ute Trail was recommended to me by a volunteer at the visitor center.
I had become quite accustomed to the high altitude of over 2 miles up and really revel in that thin air! Workouts are better and I can breathe so easy! So many have difficulties up here so I swear on the possibility of having been a mountain goat in a previous life! LOL.. You can see by the GPS route that I was at around 2 miles altitude and you can also see the tell tale signs of where and when I went off course and did my own trail blazing.
