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Posts from the ‘Colorado’ Category

Last Dollar Road

I would venture to guess that Last Dollar Road is the most photographed road in Colorado! It’s absolutely breathtaking in the fall but also excellent in Summer because of Wildflowers. I couldn’t find the origin of the name but I seem to remember it had something to do with a miner. Back in the 1800s, Last Dollar Road was a trail used by Basque sheep herders. You can still see evidence of their carvings in the aspen trees.

Quaking Aspen

I did a little research as to why the leaves on these beautiful trees twist and turn (quake) like they do and found the following on Wikipedia: “It is thought to help protect the trees from severe winds, perhaps by helping dissipate energy more uniformly throughout the canopy”. That was only one of several very interesting explanations. Read the others here: Quaking Aspen

As most know, I love shaking my camera at things so here’s a different take on one of the most popular ways of shooting Aspens.

Atlas Mine

This was one of a few buildings standing around the Atlas Mine on Yankee Boy Basin Road. Shooting in the middle of the day isn’t ideal but who could pass up this Aspen show! (HDR and Photomatix came to the rescue).

A River Runs Through It

The Medano River runs from April through August along the sand dunes in Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. We missed seeing the water flowing but these abstract cuts in the sand were a treat to photograph. This image shows the Dunes to the left, the grasslands to the right and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the background. What a place. Can’t wait to go back!

Great Sand Dunes

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve was nothing like we expected! I thought Death Valley had diverse topography but this place has so much more. The wetlands and grasslands were the most surprising and there’s a river running through it! (photo tomorrow) We already have plans to go back late next spring when the river is flowing and there is said to be even more wildlife than we saw this time. The only downside is the distance to get there.