Snow, Horses At Dusk
Horses at Owl Creek chillin' out on a nice spring evening with snow all around.
I encountered near whiteout conditions driving home from Snowmass this evening, and as I passed the barn on Owl Creek Road, I kinda’ wondered if the horses were braving the snow…
I took this shot in the spring, on my way back from skiing (I think), and I really just liked the light as the sun was getting low in the sky; it lit up the mountains across the valley, and even enhanced the fence posts in the foreground. In fact, it almost looks like the horses are looking back into the setting sun… that, or someone had a carrot over there!
Taken 4/12/2008.
Suspended Cars
Two gondola cars pass each other above Aspen Mtn ski area, amidst stormy skies.
Hiked Ajax just over a week after skiing there, for the late-season reopening during the Food & Wine Classic. Here, two gondolas cars pass each other, suspended high above Aspen Mountain. The stormy skies provide great shadowing and depth for the mountains and foothills down the valley.
Taken 6/22/2008.
Spring Runoff
Hunter Creek running high on June 1st 2008, with Ajax in the background.
This view is just a short 1/4 mile or so hike right out my back door. With the huge snowfall we had last season, the resulting spring thaw made for some pretty high river stages. This shows Hunter Creek running quite a bit bigger than normal. And, you can still see all the snow left on Aspen Mountain (Ajax) in the background, even as the trees down in town were beginning to really green up. Such a beautiful backyard, eh?!
Taken 6/1/2008.
Spring Glaze
early evening sunlight reflects on the way up Tiehack at Buttermilk Mtn.
Keeping with my anticipation of skiing theme… this was also taken after the end of last season, when the lifts were no longer running. In fact, this was the day before my “Highland Bowl From Ajax” photo (posted two days ago).
As I skinned up Tiehack on Buttermilk Mtn. in the early evening, and noticed how the thawed and refrozen snow created a glaze which shimmered as the sun sank lower in the sky. That “glaze” also made the telemark turns a little more interesting on the way down; not as bad as a true crust layer, but definitely not like powder either!
This was also the same day as my “Empty Chair” photo. Again, very cool having the entire mountain to myself… didn’t see another soul on the way up or down (just their tracks… but I took another route down, to get some fresh turns, of course!).
Taken 5/3/2008.
