I have a quick, unexpected trip to Co Springs on Friday night/Saturday morning. I have time for a very quick sunrise shoot at GOG on Saturday. Since my time will be limited, I won't have time to explore. Can anyone help direct me to the best sunrise vista where I can capture Pike's Peak with the red rocks fins below?
Posted by Derek Sedillo on March 2, 2007 at 12:38 AM
Brian,
It looks like you picked a good first time to go if the weather holds out. You will also have the chance to capture the full moonset which should happen right before sunrise (~6:30). First thing is be there at least a half hour early to park, setup, etc...
You know the drill
You can really shoot sunrise from many places:
* Mesa Road (highest lookout)- there is a lookout just north/east of the vistor's center (VC). Also if you keep driving up the hill there will be a big open field where construction is being done. That is south/east of the VC.
* Visitors Center - you can hike up behind it and get different compositions/angles of the Garden and Pikes Peak.
* Inside the Garden - Many places - primarily the ridges (rattlesnake, etc...) - may take more time than you want to spend.
Posted by Todd Caudle on March 2, 2007 at 12:39 AM
Ken who?
Brian, just enter the park through the eastern entrance across from the visitors' center, and follow it to the main parking lot. The road from the entrance goes west for a quarter mile or so (maybe a little more), then you turn right. It's all one-way, so you can't go wrong. This main park road goes north along Kissing Camels Rock, which will be on your left, and just after it curves back to the west, you'll find the huge main lot. Park there and either walk back to the ridge on the east side of the road across the open field (you'll see the pathway leading east off from the road opposite the parking lot) or follow the road a hundred feet or so back around to the east side of Kissing Camels Rock and just walk up to the top of White Rock when the slope looks manageable. There are some faint foot paths you'll see, but it's a very short distance to the top, maybe five minutes' walk from the lot to the top of either one of these ridges. Each of them offers good sunrise views. The better shots of the Garden with Pikes Peak would be the ridge on the east side of the road. If you need more specific advice, gimme a call at 719-545-8635.
Posted by Todd Caudle on March 2, 2007 at 12:41 AM
Well, Derek beat me to it. Must be a faster typist! Since the full moon is Saturday night, it will be setting behind the mountains before the sun comes up, so scratch that from your list.
You are right about the moon. I was thinking about doing more of a pre-dawn night shot with the moonset.
I was actually in the Garden this morning before sunrise. I had hoped to shoot the moon just as it was dropping. But it set behind the mountain right as I was pulling up at 5:40am. Even though the moonset was at 6:00 AM per the USNO sight, I was not taking into account the height of the front range. Oh well, it will be full for the next several days. I just need to arrive earlier.
Tommorrow moonset is scheduled for 6:25 a.m. In taking into account the height of the front range in relation to the Garden it will probably occur closer to 6:00 a.m.
I used the time to check out various vantage points around the VC - both above and from the field on the other side of the road. Does anyone know if it is legal to park on the side of the road near the VC? The lot is usually closed in the early am.
I've never had a problem parking along 30th Street, and in fact there are a few pull-outs. There's a couple just north and south of the main entrance, on the west side of 30th St. No one cares if you park along there as long as you're not sticking out in traffic. And being a Saturday morning, traffic should be pretty light, save for one wayward New Mexico photographer.
Discussion
7 repliesThanks guys!
From your long lost New Mexico Friend!
Ken are you out there?
It looks like you picked a good first time to go if the weather holds out. You will also have the chance to capture the full moonset which should happen right before sunrise (~6:30). First thing is be there at least a half hour early to park, setup, etc...
You know the drill
You can really shoot sunrise from many places:
* Mesa Road (highest lookout)- there is a lookout just north/east of the vistor's center (VC). Also if you keep driving up the hill there will be a big open field where construction is being done. That is south/east of the VC.
* Visitors Center - you can hike up behind it and get different compositions/angles of the Garden and Pikes Peak.
* Inside the Garden - Many places - primarily the ridges (rattlesnake, etc...) - may take more time than you want to spend.
Brian, just enter the park through the eastern entrance across from the visitors' center, and follow it to the main parking lot. The road from the entrance goes west for a quarter mile or so (maybe a little more), then you turn right. It's all one-way, so you can't go wrong. This main park road goes north along Kissing Camels Rock, which will be on your left, and just after it curves back to the west, you'll find the huge main lot. Park there and either walk back to the ridge on the east side of the road across the open field (you'll see the pathway leading east off from the road opposite the parking lot) or follow the road a hundred feet or so back around to the east side of Kissing Camels Rock and just walk up to the top of White Rock when the slope looks manageable. There are some faint foot paths you'll see, but it's a very short distance to the top, maybe five minutes' walk from the lot to the top of either one of these ridges. Each of them offers good sunrise views. The better shots of the Garden with Pikes Peak would be the ridge on the east side of the road. If you need more specific advice, gimme a call at 719-545-8635.
You are right about the moon. I was thinking about doing more of a pre-dawn night shot with the moonset.
I was actually in the Garden this morning before sunrise. I had hoped to shoot the moon just as it was dropping. But it set behind the mountain right as I was pulling up at 5:40am. Even though the moonset was at 6:00 AM per the USNO sight, I was not taking into account the height of the front range. Oh well, it will be full for the next several days. I just need to arrive earlier.
Tommorrow moonset is scheduled for 6:25 a.m. In taking into account the height of the front range in relation to the Garden it will probably occur closer to 6:00 a.m.
I used the time to check out various vantage points around the VC - both above and from the field on the other side of the road. Does anyone know if it is legal to park on the side of the road near the VC? The lot is usually closed in the early am.