March 13 at Nucla Hill on the West End of Montrose County. I was hoping for sunset afterglow on the snowy peaks. I was disappointed in that regard, but the evening clouds and sky made it well worth it anyway.
Looking north to the snowy south face of the Uncompahgre Plateau:
No sunset afterglow, just some nice warm colors on Lone Cone at sunset.
© Copyright 2023 Stephen J. Krieg
Bareroot tree seedlings shipped from the nursery.
March 20 was the Vernal (Spring) Equinox in North America, and the Full Moon as well. Some traditions call the March Full Moon the “Worm Moon”, because in many climates the frost is gone from the ground and so earthworms return to the surface after another long winter. They sure have in my yard here on the Western Slope of Colorado.
As it so happened, my order of tree seedling from Jung Seed Company in Wisconsin arrived the day before. I had measured and marked where I wanted the seedlings to be planted, and even had the holes dug.
But upon reading the instructions from the nursery, they said that the seedlings had been kept in cold storage to simulate them being in winter dormancy. And to gently wake them up with a “spring rain” by putting them in a bucket of water overnight. As a former forester I know a bit about trees, but am always happy to oblige a commercial nursery that wants its customers to have the best in success.
The next day I was ready to plant my trees. On the Vernal Equinox, though I had not planned it that way. I got all thirteen seedlings (ten Black Hills Spruce and three Pyramidal Arborvitae) nestled into their new homes in great soil with good drainage.
As I finished planting (gently straightening my stiffening muscles, it’s been a long winter) I saw that it was still at least a half hour until moonrise. Actually more, because by the time the Full Moon would rise over the Uncompahgre Plateau to the North-Northeast it would be dusk. But light enough for landscape photography with the moon featured.
So I waited, camera on tripod in my back yard. I have a great view to the east, of the Uncompahgre Plateau and the west reaches of the San Juan Mountains.
March Moonrise over the Uncompahgre Plateau, Colorado.
This early in the year the moon would rise from my vantage point over the still snowbound Uncompahgre Plateau, on the Uncompahgre National Forest. I didn’t have time to drive an hour to a known location where I could situate snowy mountain crags in front of the moon. Blame the tree seedlings. They needed me more than my photography did that day.
The March “Worm Moon” rising above the Uncompahgre.
The moon slid silently into view over the crest of the mighty Uncompahgre, yellow with moisture on the horizon. As usual I stood in appreciation that I live in a place where I could be at home (if I had to) and photograph this scene right from my yard.
Almost dark…what a moon!
Vernal Equinox. Full Moon rising. Trees planted. What a day.
Photo location: western Montrose County (the “West End”) Colorado.
See more of my photography on my website: http://www.NaturalMoment.com.
© Copyright 2019 Stephen J. Krieg
Beginning of the Lunar Eclipse
I was anticipating the first great lunar eclipse in a couple of years. The weather forecast at first seemed so favorable.
Then the clear Colorado skies started to have some high clouds to the east. Uh-oh. My optimism started to become sub-optimal through the afternoon.
Since the lunar eclipse was going to happen long after sunset it would be useless to make a landscape photo with it. It would merely be a black sky for the background.
So I waited from home to see what I could see.
I was fortunate enough to view the beginning of the eclipse, until the moon started to turn red. Then the clouds hid the rest.
So-called “blood” moon, so exquisite.
Photo location: Nucla, Colorado
© Copyright 2019 Stephen J. Krieg
Moonrise creeps up over Yellow Mountain.
The January 2019 Lunar Eclipse was the best opportunity for a couple of years to see that kind of spectacular event in North America. I was ready, my plans were made.
Moonrise panorama over Yellow Mountain.
However, since the Lunar Eclipse would occur on January 20 — one day before Full Moon — I went out the previous evening to shoot moonrise over the San Juan Mountains here in southwest Colorado.
Why two days before Full Moon? Because my favorite spot is so close to some high peaks near Lizard Head Pass that by the time the moon clears the peaks it’s well past official Moonrise time on the charts. Like 45 minutes later. Shortly before sunset, in fact. I was hoping for some sunset glow on the peaks while the almost full moon rose.
So I drove the hour and 15 minutes to Lizard Head Pass on Highway 145 and ate a submarine sandwich while I waited. There were a number of cross country skiers still sliding around on the sunlit high meadows.
Then the moon began to clear Yellow Mountain, above Trout Lake. It was on.
Vermilion Peak just before sunset.
I had been hoping to get some rosy sunset glow off the snowy peaks at sunset, but there were high hazy clouds to the west, diffusing the effect I was after. Or so I thought.
By about 5:30 it seemed that the sun was down and I might as well begin to drive back home.
Alpenglow above Telluride, on the way home.
I had misjudged. Again. Because as I approached Telluride I could see the rosy glow of Alpenglow on some peaks northwest of town. Fortunately I found a cleared turnout along the highway where I could pull out my camera — still on tripod — and get a couple of fast shots.
I was especially glad to have made the effort to get out to a prime spot that evening, because the next one would be a lot more cloudy. It would be a short Lunar Eclipse, visibility wise.
Photo location: Lizard Head Pass, south of Telluride, southwest Colorado.
See more of my best photography on my website: www.NaturalMoment.com.
© Copyright 2019 Stephen J. Krieg
Ground fog in western Paradox Valley.
On the morning of January 6 as I was approaching Bedrock, Colorado, I could see that the area of the valley where the Dolores River cuts across the Paradox Valley had a bank of ground fog settled in. With the recent snows and bitter cold and now glorious sunny winter morning, conditions looked ripe to provide some interesting light.
Highway 90 just east of the fog bank.
I stopped for some shots of the fog bank, with the La Sal Mountains shining with new snow across the Utah state line.
La Sal Mountains seeming to rise out of the fog bank above Bedrock.
Then it was down into the fog bank. But even at Bedrock it looked like the fog was close to being burned off by the morning sun.
The Hwy. 90 bridge over the Dolores River.
Passing the historic Bedrock Store, the red rock cliffs had only a tantalizing veil of fog left before them. The Bedrock Store is famous for being the filming location of the pivotal “last phone call” scene in Thelma and Louise. Where Louise said, “Well, we’re not in the middle of nowhere, but we can see it from here.”
The historic Bedrock Store.
Behind the tiny Bedrock Post Office, some crumbling buildings looked interesting with the misty, snowy cliffs in the background.
Weathered buildings and the cliffs where the Dolores River empties into and across the valley, rather than following it.
Bedrock is where the Dolores River cuts across Paradox Valley, rather than following it. Thus it comes out of one deep red rock gorge, flows across the valley floor, and resumes its way through more gorges on its way to the Colorado River in southeastern Utah. This is the geologic “paradox” that gave the valley its name.
Hoar frosted cottonwood trees near Paradox, Colorado.
Continuing on to the hamlet of Paradox, I stopped to admire a grove of cottonwood trees flocked with hoar frost, shining in the morning sun, with the north wall of Paradox Valley behind it.
Photo location: Paradox Valley, West End of Montrose County, Colorado.
Enjoy more of my photography at my website: www.NaturalMoment.com.
© Copyright 2019 Stephen J. Krieg
Early Snow on the Uncompahgre Plateau, Nucla, Colorado
The glorious weather and colors of the fall leaves have passed.
Some hate the winter weather, but I don’t. Last winter was Exceptional Drought (who knew there was a category beyond Extreme Drought?). So far the late fall-early winter weather in southwest Colorado is encouraging.
Highway 90 through the Paradox Valley.
From some snows in the high country, and recently down to the valley floors, it has been good.
Paradox, Colorado.
As a photographer I dislike the in-between seasons of early spring and early winter. As in: too brown, too bland. Last year was the worst. Not this season. Not so far.
More of my photography at: http://www.NaturalMoment.com
© Copyright 2018 Stephen J. Krieg
Two big bucks find my aspen tree much to interesting…
Living on the edge of a small town surrounded by farm and ranch fields in southwest Colorado, it’s common to see wildlife and how they adapt to their human neighbors.
Case in point are the four large mule deer bucks that frequent my neighborhood. I call them the Gang of Four. Not only do they know it’s not hunting season, but even if it were it’s illegal to hunt in a residential area. It’s as if they read the town statutes.
I had wondered about the scars on the trees…they’ve been sharpening their antler points.
Like all wildlife, the Gang of Four knows where their preferred food sources are, and hang about in various nearby spots. They have raided my little garden repeatedly this summer, during the night. A chain link fence is merely something to hop over for them. Finally I resorted to some animal repellent spray, which is supposed to make animals’ mouths tingle in a way they don’t like, so they go eat the neighbor’s flowers, again.
Trim and muscular, ready for the fall mating rut.
I have watched these bucks during the summer in “velvet”, the fuzzy covering as their antlers grew. Then suddenly they were back. In my yard, in the late afternoon. No more velvet, those antlers were fully grown and ready for the combat of the rut (mating season) in late fall. But for now the four big boys weren’t enemies. That would come later. After the sexual completion of reproduction was over they would become buddies again. I call it the Big Boys’ Club. I’ve seen bull elk do it, too.
The Gang of Four in velvet, September 11.
Photo location: Nucla, Colorado.
© Copyright 2018 Stephen J. Krieg
The fall colors continue to progress in the Colorado high country. Actually given the recent warm weather I think the colors are later than normal. It’s been an exceptionally dry summer, but the warm sunny days and cool nights lately have been nudging the aspen forests toward getting their leaves ready to drop.
At Trout Lake recently I was trout fishing near sunset. The trout were happily sipping aquatic insects from the surface of the lake, totally uninterested in my lures.
But I harvested some gorgeous photos, with such a light breeze and the still waters at my feet providing a mirror.
Photo location: San Miguel County near Telluride, Colorado.
See much more of my photography at www.NaturalMoment.com.
© Copyright 2018 Stephen J. Krieg
Early aspen colors at Trout Lake.
Rain saturates colors. Far from being a deterrent to good nature photography, it creates opportunities.
Trout Lake panorama, September 19.
Thus I drove into the San Juan Mountains in San Miguel County in southwest Colorado, in the Telluride area.
Rainy mountains south of Telluride.
The aspen colors were coming on nicely, due to the recent warm sunny days and cool nights. It was raining lightly but it wasn’t very windy, allowing for some beautiful images of colorful foliage.
Red-orange aspen colors on the San Juan National Forest.
Aspen fall colors are primarily bright yellow, as the tree stops producing chlorophyll, making the green color disappear and letting the other colors that were there all along become visible. So they don’t really “turn colors”, they just let summer’s green go.
Aspen gold is highlighted by the dark greens of evergreen foliage in the background.
Some aspen stands, and even individual trees, exhibit a lovely orange or red instead of gold.
There’s nothing like a peaceful country road in the Rockies in the fall.
On the way home I drove down the South Fork of the San Miguel River.
South Fork of the San Miguel.
The clouds were obscuring the high peaks, but I had plenty to interest me. I stopped for a Gambel oak sapling that had vibrant red colors, much more red than most oaks get.
Gambel oak colors on the South Fork.
And the cherry red of wild rose hips.
Wild rose hips.
As I continued west, away from the San Miguels, west of Norwood the clouds opened and the nearly setting sun turned the distant La Sal Mountains and the sky a brilliant gold.
Utah’s La Sal Mountains at sunset from Colorado.
And since it was still raining, directly opposite to the east the dark clouds formed the perfect backdrop for a full rainbow.
Sunset rainbow at the San Miguel County – Montrose County line.
Photo location: San Miguel County, southwest Colorado.
See much more of my photography on my website: www.NaturalMoment.com.
© Copyright 2018 Stephen J. Krieg
September 2nd Rainbow.
It’s September. Again, at last. Or as I call it, October Eve. October being the best month.
Even this early in September, the chill of fall is whispering. The shortened days, the way the heat of the day dives so wonderfully steeply before sunset.
I even have to put on some long pants in the evening and the morning. It’s been months. Finally. Oh, yeah.
© Copyright Stephen J. Krieg
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