This gulch on the Continental Divide is about 5 miles north of Berthoud Pass. The winds at the top echoed the violent nature of the day. Though sunny and warm, at the end, the morning was bitterly cold, with no hint of easing.

This gulch on the Continental Divide is about 5 miles north of Berthoud Pass.  I’ve been driving past it consistently for a number of  winters on the way to ski at Devil’s Thumb Ranch.  While the crest of Berthoud Pass is certainly majestic, there is something lost in the grander vista. As for the point of the drive, there have been hundreds of happy, punishing hours out on the trails in the winter’s cold; this composition seems to embody the best of those hours; the harsh cold, sweat frozen hair, and a smile that lingered and said so much more than just “hi.” This is what I like best about nature photography; an instant that impresses for a lifetime.

Long-lens compositions like this one draw in on the grand details. The winds at the top echoed the violent nature of the day while the warm, blue sky offered a kind embrace.  This image was from the first week of January, 2018, on a day that was as alive as any I’ve known.