Tag Archives: wonders

Picture Lake with Mt. Shuskan – Sunrise, Daytime, Sunset…

It is amazing how the same place can look so different depending on the time of day… Picture Lake located in Washington State in Mt. Baker National Forest is the perfect example of this… 

It is simply an awe inspiring location any time of day but for me, first and last light are the most exceptional… especially when you add in the Belt of Venus,  some fresh snow, and Fall colors mixed in! This place is unmatched in beauty…

Sunrise far

Sunrise close

Daytime

Sunset

Beautiful Summer’s Eve – San Juan Mountains

This has been a strange wildflower season so far this summer here in the San Juan Mountains of SW Colorado.  We had record snowfall this winter following up by an extended period with no moisture this spring and summer.  The flowers came up early with some fading quickly with no rain. Only those under the flow of melting snow patches were flourishing.  

But how quickly things can change!  The Monsoon season has finally arrived although fairly weak so far.  This has really helped but you still have to hunt with some areas flourishing while others are just getting started like the area around Ice Lakes Basin.

The shot posted here was one of those places where the wildflowers are flourishing, at least in that particular spot. I was blessed to have the combination of both an incredible sky and a heathy stand of beautiful Paintbrush and other species.  It was one of the best sunsets I’ve seen in a long while which more than made up for the lackluster year so far.

I hope you are all enjoying this summer and thanks for viewing my site!

Somewhere on top of the world

The record snowfall this winter has made access to the high country here in the San Juan Mountains rather difficult this summer.

I was finally able to break free from the snow and participate in a rare event where the grip of winter starts to give way to the summer flowers.  
Where ever a patch of alpine tundra was exposed, wildflowers are already well on their way towards taking this beautiful land over.

It looks more like Alaska up there than Colorado.  The snow fields are massive, interspersed with south facing open fields already teaming with life.  I was blessed to witness this with the added bonus of a gorgeous sunset that kept on giving. A half hour after sunset it actually became brighter with the red luminous light saturating the snow reflecting off the intense red clouds.

Looks like we are off to a great start this season…