The End of Autumn

Longs Peak after the first snow of the season Oct, 2015 - Prints available

The last light of the evening turns the clouds pink as they lift off of Longs Peak to reveal the first snow of the season. A fresh dusting of white blankets the peak and contrasts with the giant "Diamond" east face of the mountain. Most of the color is gone from the aspen trees along the hillside except for a few remaining stands of bright yellow and orange. The fall foliage color season has lasted a long time this year as different stands turned at different times...some as late as mid-October!  The sunset on this evening was one of the most colorful and beautiful I've ever witnessed!  I only wish It would last longer, but that magic hour is short lived indeed.

Rocky Mountain National Park - Autumn 2015

This year was not the most ideal for Fall Color photography in the Colorado mountains.  Many of the popular aspen viewing areas have been infected with some sort of fungus (or that's what they're saying) that causes the aspens to turn brown and drop their leaves prematurely.  Our very wet spring followed by a drought at the end of summer could be one of the causes of these unhealthy aspen groves.  Also, the peaks were still snow free due to the warm weather.  So, after hearing these reports, I decided to stay closer to home this season and spend some time in Rocky Mountain National Park.  As far as I've seen, the park wasn't affected as described.  The aspens looked healthy and the colors were vibrant!

Here's a compilation of photographs from multiple trips to RMNP in the past couple weeks:

Wild Basin Area

Wild Basin at Sunrise - Prints available

  

Copeland

Bear Lake Area

Bierstadt Lake Trail

Elk Bugle

Bear Lake and Longs Peak at Sunset - Prints available

Longs

Horseshoe Park Area

 

Mt. Chaquita

Sunset in Horseshoe Park (elk herd on the right)