I've wanted to get to this overlook for several years since I saw it from lake level. This weekend with a couple of buddies I made the 11-mile round trip into the Mt. Zirkel Wilderness with sturdy horses for an overnight camping trip so I could catch both the evening and morning light on the lake. This one is from the 11,100 ft. pass between Gilpin and Gold Creek Lake. That's Big Agnes Mountain on the far left and Mt. Zirkel on the upper right.
And this one is the next morning from the same area....
Posted by Joshua Hardin on August 10, 2009 at 4:54 PM
Wow, what a view, and certainly not a place we see photos of that often. Bummer about all of the dead trees there, but it doesn't detract much from the unique perspective. Nicely done!
Posted by Jack Garrett on August 10, 2009 at 4:54 PM
The pine beetle has really done its destruction in this area...what a shame. Still, these are good. I like number 1 a little better...more color, especially on the right side.
Posted by Jesse Speer on August 10, 2009 at 5:51 PM
What a rugged landscape!
Posted by Jim Casteel on August 10, 2009 at 5:52 PM
Lots of dead! That is what it looked like when I was up in Mt. Zirkel recently too... On the first image in the URC I do see something odd... maybe a mosquito or part of a tree branch that should be cloned out. I really like the color and depth of the image though.
Posted by Kelly Black on August 10, 2009 at 8:29 PM
Hi Rod,
Wow, that water is so blue! It's so sad about the trees....I guess that's nature, and things will start to grow again. I agree, I would crop out whatever that is in the corner. Beautiful images, I especially like #1.
Get used to it folks, all our pine forests are gonna look like this soon enough. Kelly, unfortunately, i really really doubt its just "nature", this epidemic has hit much of N America and most agree that it is 10,000 times worse than ever has been seen before historically. Look at maps of BC and CO over the past 10 years to see how quickly this is occurring, and the vast extent of it. Forest mismanagement has been blamed in part, but IMO the most significant reason is Global Warming (which in turn is most likely human-related) which has greatly reduced the winter mortality rate of the beetles, allowing the epidemic to spread in unprecedented fashion. It also happens to be a negative feedback (less trees=more CO2).
Rant aside, these shots are nicely composed and presented, Rod.
Posted by John Mumaw on August 10, 2009 at 9:25 PM
That first one looks like a postcard, Rod.
The lighting and the inclusion of the two beautifully lit trees in the foreground are just perfect!
..most agree that it is 10,000 times worse than ever has been seen before historically.
Now how in the world would anyone know that?!? A time machine perhaps?
This is the sort of exaggerated claim that is starting to make you folks lose credence rather quickly these days.
Posted by Don Grall on August 10, 2009 at 10:09 PM
Great images, Rod. The light really makes this gorgeous setting even better.
Posted by Guy Schmickle on August 10, 2009 at 11:32 PM
Both are wonderful images, but the first one is definitely my favorite. I've often considered taking horses into the wilderness like that just for a different experience. Sounds like fun!
Posted by Rod Hanna on August 11, 2009 at 10:25 AM
Thanks, everyone, for your comments. Interesting discussion about dead trees. Most likely the brown trees in the left foreground of the morning shot are lodgepole pine beetle kill. But looking back at my lake-level photograph from summer 2006 which was pre-beetle in this area (I think) there were lots of dead trees then---which seems to me is more of the natural progression of old trees dying in this sub-alpine area. And some of the remaining green trees are also spruce or fir and thus are spared from the pine beetle. Sadly, perhaps, I'm getting used to the dead trees as especially in my area of northwest Colorado there are whole forests that have been affected.
John, unfortunately i dont recall where i read the 10,000 figure, so i may be wrong, but there really is no way to exagerrate the scope of this problem. Here's a couple quotes for you:
"This is a huge, unprecedented event" -R Gable, Rocky Mt USFS
"This is unprecedented in ecological history"- J Logan, USFS forester
It really not a political issue, it's reality, drive US 70 between Denver and Vail and see for yourself. The forests may or may not come back.
Really nice comps!
Gabi Lach commented in one of her posts on the ESS gallery that the Forest Service put more beetles into the forests in the 60's to try to control the overgrowth of the forests. I don't know if it's true, but what a horrifying thought that might be the cause of all of this!
Discussion
13 repliesWow, that water is so blue! It's so sad about the trees....I guess that's nature, and things will start to grow again. I agree, I would crop out whatever that is in the corner. Beautiful images, I especially like #1.
Rant aside, these shots are nicely composed and presented, Rod.
The lighting and the inclusion of the two beautifully lit trees in the foreground are just perfect!
Now how in the world would anyone know that?!? A time machine perhaps?
This is the sort of exaggerated claim that is starting to make you folks lose credence rather quickly these days.
"This is a huge, unprecedented event" -R Gable, Rocky Mt USFS
"This is unprecedented in ecological history"- J Logan, USFS forester
It really not a political issue, it's reality, drive US 70 between Denver and Vail and see for yourself. The forests may or may not come back.
Gabi Lach commented in one of her posts on the ESS gallery that the Forest Service put more beetles into the forests in the 60's to try to control the overgrowth of the forests. I don't know if it's true, but what a horrifying thought that might be the cause of all of this!