 Field Notes - Reports from Whit's travels. |
|||
|
Autumn 2002 At the end of the Art Show season in September, I took off for the beautiful mountains of Colorado. Each year I try to climb several 14,000-foot peaks for fun, without the burden of my 40-pound camera pack. But this year, I timed my climbing trip to coincide with the autumn colors of aspens and cottonwoods. And that created a problem... The trees were turning to gold, but higher up it was getting late for climbing. How would I decide the right time to trade my climbing gear for my camera equipment? What a predicament! (I know, I know...its a rough life. But somebody has to do it!) Then, on September 27, having already climbed a few peaks in questionable weather, I found myself alone late in the afternoon on the summit of Blanca Peak (14,345 ft.) in the Sangre de Cristo Range, in a raging snowstorm, with a 7,000-foot, 8-mile descent yet to go. That was when the lightening started. Suddenly, I developed an overwhelming and steadfast desire to head down and do some serious photography. I spent most of my shooting time in the San Juan Mountains, along the Gunnison River and up on Grand Mesa. The San Juans are my favorite range in Colorado because of their beauty and deep wilderness, and because I have a personal history there. As an undergraduate at Colorado State, I spent the entire summer of 1977 backpacking in the San Juans while conducting an ecological study of Mountain Goats for the U.S. Forest Service. It was nice to be back there photographing the aspens this fall. Some of the photographic fruits of this trip can be seen in the New Images Gallery. Subscribe to our newsletter get the latest installment in Whit's adventures. |
|||
| Gallery Home | Newsletter | About Whit | Gift Certificates |