Spirit of The West

Sunrise at Rocky Mountain Arsenal Refuge catches the stoic yet powerful demeanor of the beautiful bison, the spirit of the west.

Peekaboo

A frigid afternoon of Peekaboo with the beautiful Elk on Lookout Mountain aka the fairytale land of Narnia.

Where The Pronghorn Run

4 am wake up call this morning to head in to the depths of the Arctic blast in Northeastern Colorado. I had to see what -50 windchill was all about. Turn's out it's cold. I took a turn sitting out in it for 15 minutes at a time just to feel. Gratitude for the discomfort and feeling the piercing cold find its way into my core. Receiving a dose of Mother Nature's being. Pondering what life for the indigenous settlers must have been like when these fronts blew through. Feeling the vastness of the wide open spaces and howling wind. Watching the ranchers tend to their animals because they have no choice. Amazed by the ability for wildlife to survive in these conditions. White knuckling it until I had to finally turnaround in a whiteout. I was born to roam. I crave it. It brings me life. Too often, we get caught up in just going through the motions, but my heart is always doing its best to run free with the wind and wild things.

Where The Bison Roam

A buffalo roams on a snowy spring day in Genesee, Colorado. Amazing this is the last day of April. This is the only city-owned park in the world where wild Buffalo roam free. They are direct descendants from wild buffalo brought from Yellowstone when bison were on the brink of extinction due to hunting. The Denver park was established in 1914. I really appreciate how the stark contrasts came out on this one. A certain austerity lends itself to a powerful image of an iconic western landscape.

Elk Spring

Two make elks checking in with each other to make sure they are keeping warm in a Spring snowstorm on Lookout Mountain, Colorado. Bull elk shed their antlers ever year usually from February to April. As testosterone levels decrease osteoclasts cells form where the skull and antler meet. These cells reabsorb calcium from the antler, weakening the joint between the skull and antler until the antler drops. The fallen antler provide calcium, protein and potassium for smaller mammals. The bull elks quickly begin growing new ones.

Curiosity

A curious fox pup watches me from a distance near his den during the Spring.

Spirit of The Great Plains

Harkening to the days. When the bison roamed freely. 60 million strong. Stoically yet powerfully plodding across the land. A symbol of strength and survival. The spirit of the great plains.

Elk Days

Found a beautiful scene high up on Trail Ridge Road while guiding a trip. Grateful for my mountain office. Interesting fact...bull elk drop their antlers every year and re-grow them at a rate of up to an inch a day until rutting season begins in the fall. They must continually graze and work through arduous pain as the antlers continue to push out.

Alpine Life

A mountain goat high above on Mt. Evans strolling in the alpine looking south out over Kenosha Pass and the Colorado Rockies.

Cuteness Overload

Two fox pups maybe 4-5 weeks old or so emerge from their den. They are just as curious about me as I am them. I keep a safe distance using my telephoto lens and try best not to disturb as they are after all wildlife and need to remain that way.

Hanging With The Bulls

Morning Stroll

The first light highlights mountain goats as they ascend higher in search of grazing grounds on Mt. Evans.

Front and Center

4 am wake up call this morning to head in to the depths of the Arctic blast in Northeastern Colorado. I had to see what -50 windchill was all about. Turn's out it's cold. I took a turn sitting out in it for 15 minutes at a time just to feel. Gratitude for the discomfort and feeling the piercing cold find its way into my core. Receiving a dose of Mother Nature's being. Pondering what life for the indigenous settlers must have been like when these fronts blew through. Feeling the vastness of the wide open spaces and howling wind. Watching the ranchers tend to their animals because they have no choice. Amazed by the ability for wildlife to survive in these conditions. White knuckling it until I had to finally turnaround in a whiteout. I was born to roam. I crave it. It brings me life. Too often, we get caught up in just going through the motions, but my heart is always doing its best to run free with the wind and wild things

Dawn Patrol

Dawn dwindles as dissolving darkness gives way to the vibrant glow of the sun as it creeps up from beneath the horizon. A buck meanders without trepidation among the cornfields enjoying the last moments of placidity before the world gets busier. These cherished moments. An introverts charging station. Alone. Inspired. In Tune. Photo taken yesterday (11/17/2018) near Barr Lake on a backyard morning safari.

Driveway Traffic

Traffic Jam on my parents driveway on Lookout Mountain. My kinda traffic jam!

Neighborhood Eyes

From my neighborhood walk with the pup. Beauty is all around if you pay attention. I saw three owls hidden in the pines...I didn’t have my camera on me but when we got home from our walk, I grabbed my camera and drove over to the spot hoping they were still there. Fortunately they were. With a little bit of quiet scampering around and looking for the right angle and trying to maintain distance and be respectful as possible to the animals and the neighbors yard, I was able to get this pretty intimate shot. It’s cool to study my immediate surroundings and appreciate the beauty on our simple little walks. You really get to know your neighborhood...also allowing for some inspiration and gratitude right out your front door.

Three Amigos

Three bison plodding along on the open range in the early morning frost.

Hummingbird and the Moon

A hummingbird on Lookout Mountain perched on a branch as the moon rises. It's rare to catch these birds sitting for more than a minute as they are always buzzing around.

Screaming Flight

Beautiful moments waiting and watching this red- tailed hawk ready itself for takeoff in Genesee. Catching the moment is always a challenge getting it in focus and holding a heavy 600mm lens handheld aimed upward. When it works out it’s always a special moment. Here the hawk let’s out a piercing scream as it takes to the skies

Huddled

The mountain goats on the Summit of Mt. Evans, the highest paved road in North America reaching roughly 14,200 feet. This year (2020), the road is closed to cars due to COVID. It's still open for those willing to huff it up on their bikes or hike/run it. It's amazing! This magical ecosystem has been given a reprieve and chance to recover from the usually 200,000 cars who venture up in the Summer months. The animals are acting more like...well wild animals. No people feeding them, getting close for a selfie, petting them, yelling at them...just generally being irresponsible towards these animals. They cyclists and hikers tend to have a greater respect from what I can tell and give the animals their space and appreciate them as part of this amazing environment. The vegetation is also able to make a small comeback without being trampled on carelessly. I wish the road was closed every year to motorized vehicles or at least for a few years allowing for the mountain to recover a bit. There is something special about earning your time on the mountain too! Going at a slower pace, you're able to fully appreciate the minutia and things that so many pass by whisking away in their cars just to get to the summit. I’m grateful for the privilege and health to access these type of places. I only wish more of us did because nature is cathartic and teaches us more than we could ever seek. We’d be so much kinder to ourselves, each other and environment if so. A couple weeks back, my Dad joined me on a 3:30 am wake up call to ride our bikes to the top. He will be 71 in September. I was so proud of him for making it! He has an E-bike which makes it possible, but he still had to work his tail off and suck on that same rarefied air. I'll be posting more photos about our ride later on, but this post is for the goats. The mountain goats were actually introduced to Colorado from 1947-1972 to increase hunting opportunities. Since, their numbers have flourished in the high alpine in several areas across the state but most notably known atop Mt. Evans. Their white fleece helps camouflage them during the snowy months. They have padded hooves and pliable toes that allow for them to grip rocky terrain. Their hind legs are incredibly strong allowing them to jump and scramble up this precipitous area. They learn to climb at a young age. You watch them jostle for position on the rocks knocking each other off playfully and jumping from rock to rock. It's all fun but it allows for them to learn the tricks of the trade of life of a mountain goat in such an arduous milieu. Here are a few photos of the goats atop the summit. I was able to watch them by myself from a safe distance with my telephoto lens that I lugged up on my back. It was so nice to watch them just be themselves and not be pestered by the throngs of people. I plan on riding up a few more times this year basking in this incredible place sans cars.