Least Represented RM Region?

Hi all, just curious - what do you all consider to be the least photographed part of the Rocky Mountain region? Areas that are not well known and/or rarely explored that have a lot of potential? As much as I love landscape photography, the idea of shooting icons that have been shot to death or standing alongside a line of fellow photographers waiting to take the same shot bores me. One of the advantages of the area I live in is that I can often go to some of the most beautiful trails or look out points and be the only person around, and there are a few lesser known areas that have yet to be touched by "professional" photographers. Where would one go in The Rockies to find such a place?

There are parts of CO Rockies that are very secluded. Just don't go to locations that are drive up shooting spots. Go off trail a little and you can easily find solitude that is rarely if ever photographed.

It would probably be easier to list the most iconic spots in Colorado or the Rocky Mountain region (Yankee Boy Basin, Dallas Divide, Snake River overlook, Schwabacher Landing, etc.) and just go anywhere else.

Not much photographic activity in the Sangre de Cristo mtns of New Mexico. Lots of potential at:

Pecos Wilderness
Truchas Peaks area
Vermejo Park
Rio Costilla (private but you can get access for a fee)
Valles Caldera (not the Sangres but damn nice!)

Access to some of these areas can be a problem (vandalism in the Truchas area) and a lot of hiking (overnight to several days) would be required to get to some of the pristine areas. But there are lots of alpine lakes and a few 13K foot peaks. Some nice streams and waterfalls too. Elk, deer, bear, mtn. lion, pika, marmots, etc. Very little pro or semi-pro photography of these areas.

Taylor, you're really spoiled for choice. There are tons of areas that see little to zero photographer action. Idaho's mountain ranges and wilderness areas are very under-represented, and it's rare to see much from Montana that isn't either Glacier or Yellowstone. Any Wyoming mountain range that isn't the Tetons or the Wind Rivers would pretty much qualify. Though it's not the Rockies, strictly speaking, the basin-and-range country of Nevada and western Utah has tons of untapped potential. It always blows my mind that no one photographs southwestern New Mexico, though I do my best to get down there and make a dent when I can. And as Alexandra says, even heavily-photographed Colorado has gorgeous areas that you don't see much.

The thing about working photographically near-virgin country, though, is that you have to put a lot more effort and time into finding good locations and being there in the good light. The photographic resources telling you whether a place in best at sunrise or sunset, best seasons, specific locations, etc. don't exist for these unknown places. So you have to do a lot of research and resign yourself to a lot of near-misses. It's also good to enjoy driving marginal roads, strenuous hiking and bushwhacking. I enjoy the exploratory aspect of such trips and have never regretted them, but I have often come home knowing that I did not unlock a place's potential and that I'll have to go back, and it can be a little frustrating, especially when lots of mileage is involved. Photographers flock to the more sure locations for a reason.

If I told you, I'd have to shoot you.

Seriously though, I agree with what Jackson said. You need to research areas, get out of the car, hike the back trails and pray for a special opportunity.

Almost any 10,500 ft to 12,000 ft. peak in Colorado.

Idaho and Montana ... there are places up here that receive a fraction of the traffic, and would be popular national parks in other highly visited areas.

I can't really speak to ranges outside Colorado and parts of Utah. I would think that Idaho and Montana hold lots of untapped potential. Same with anything in Wyoming that isn't the Tetons. I think there is probably significant potential still in the Wind Rivers. We've seen some Cirque of the Towers shots here, but not much else. Aside from those mountains, there is a significant expanse of wilderness in Wyoming, many wilderness areas around 1 million acres.

In Colorado, I think the Sangre de Cristo range apart from the 2 main fourteener areas (Blanca and Crestone Groups) is the least visited major range with tons of potential. There are many lakes in the east facing valleys and a few facing west as well along with interesting peaks. I never see many people if any on my trips down there and there is very little tourism development either side of the range compared to other areas. The other areas that come to mind are the South San Juans, Mt Zirkel Wilderness, Buffalo Peaks Wilderness and Powderhorn wilderness. I've only seen a handful of images from these areas.

Of course there is always potential to visit any area and make your own unique images there.

Great responses, thanks everyone! I think, because there are so many photos posted from The Rockies on sites like this, it is easy for us Midwesterners to forget how vast it is over there. Glad to hear there is still plenty of "photographically near-virgin territory" out there.

Actually, one of the reasons I posted this is that I'm currently planning my escape from the Midwest I really don't know yet where I want to move, just that it will definitely fall under "RMNP." I used to fight fire in the summer, which brought me to Utah and Arizona, and I don't think I could live in the desert - I NEED my trees and green! Missoula looks very tempting at this point. As mentioned, I see very little work posted from Idaho, but I know little about that state. Of course, finding employment is also an issue and, based on my preliminary job search, Colorado may very well be where I end up (not that I have the slightest problem with that - Crested Butte was amazing)

So let's try this: if you were 25, single, no kids, and nothing holding you back, to where would you move?

Denver.

It has the largest concentration of industry, manufacturing, technology and business in the region. If work in the region is important, this is the place with the broadest range of jobs, and even here the scope is more limited than say Chicago, Houston, NYC, etc...

When you get into other cities in the region, the breadth of the job market becomes increasingly narrow in focus. If you have a specialty skill that aligns with another city, then that might change your focus.

You say "no deserts" but are you thinking of sand, cactus, blistering heat, and no rain? There are a few places like that in AZ and UT (and NV and CA). But a lot of the territory of RMNP is what we call "High Desert" and we have pinyon/juniper trees and some Ponderosa if you get up to about 7000 ft. We also have moderate temperatures, almost no humidity, summer rains, winter snows (ski areas!!), beautiful blue skies, sage and chamisa, and 350+ days of sunshine! Endless outdoor activities and subjects to photograph! Then there are the mountain communities that are up around 7000 ft. and above in the ponderosa/spruce/aspen forests. Cool in the summer but lots of snow to deal with in the winter. And there is always the threat of forest fires. But then you got tornadoes in the midwest.

I moved to NM from Southeast Missouri when I was 23. A bit of a culture shock but you adjust quickly. (My addiction to green chile is now complete and total!) That was a loooong time ago and I have never even thought of going back! The humidity alone keeps me out of the midwest until Fall/Winter.

Without knowing your preferences or job skills its hard to recommend a place. Personally, I can't stand big cities (>100k people!) so I would be looking for something a bit small and more laid back. Santa Fe is a nice place but can be expensive. Taos is OK but you're kinda isolated in the winter (not many roads in and out and snow can shut them down). Both are nice small towns with interesting history, culture, architecture, pine and aspen trees. Albuquerque is right up against the Sandia Mountains and has everything a big city has. Logan, UT looks to be a nice college town near the mountains. Payson, Flagstaff, and Sedona might be worth checking out in AZ. In CO I would have Durango, Ouray, Pagosa Springs, and Estes Park on my list. Further NW from there I don't have any first-hand experience so I can't help you. I'm sure the northerners will chime in.

Good luck!

I think the Gore Range has way more landscape potential than the areas of the Sangres, minus the Blanca's and Crestone's. Those two Sangre areas are better than anything the Gores have. However, there's about 6 drainages in the Gores that have better potential than the rest of the Sangres. The stuff around Bubble Lake, Slate Lake, Pitkin, Upper Piney, Boulder Creek, and Deluge is the key; it's work getting there.

Also, I think there are countless opportunities in the Needles/Grenadier/Uncompahgre....San Juans.

The Lone Eagle Cirque is another close to Denver area that needs to be maximized. A shot at Mirror Lake is Colorado top 10 but, you can't tell me a top 10 shot at the lake is all that's there. That area is ripe for the picking.

Phillip, where at in SEMO? I'm right across the river in Carbondale. A couple of weeks ago I went swimming at Castor River Shut-ins, there are some pretty neat spots in The Ozarks. And yes - what you described is the sort of desert I was referring to. The areas in Utah and Arizona I fought fire in were mainly dirt, rock, and sagebrush.. I prefer a bit more vegetation. I'm with you on big cities - it would take a pretty hefty salary to woo me into living in a city as large as Denver. I'll be trying my hardest to end up in a small or medium size town. As far as career - I'm an IT Sys Admin, so it's nothing super specialized that would absolutely require a metro in order to find work.

Whew.. decisions, decisions.. none of this will happen for at least a year, though, so I have plenty of time for research.

Went to school in Cape Girardeau. Yeah, the Ozarks have some phenomenal scenery. Silver Mines, Johnson's Shut-Ins, Elephant Rocks, Big Spring, Blue Spring, Huzzah Valley, Current River, Alley Spring, Mingo Swamp, etc. Gonna check them all out this Fall.

Sounds like you need to take an epic road trip from NM to Montana! Good luck with your decisions!

You might want to do some research on the Grand Junction area for job possibilities. It's sandwiched betwen the Colorado Plateau and the mountains - central to so many great locations (non-iconic too) and the largest city in the western Colorado/eastern Utah region (thinking jobs here). Still plenty of distance to "large" metro areas like Salt Lake or Denver (4 hrs.) It's in the desert though, but it grows on ya, only a 45 minute drive up to "The Mesa" to get out of the so-called heat (you Tucsonans know what I mean). You can't really beat the climate on average.
I grew up in a little town near here so I'm a little biased but I've lived on the front range of CO and in southern & central AZ. This (GJ) is still my preference for what I like. I can't believe I ever balked at moving back here.

There are obviously "prettier" places to live if you have the resources to do so. For the average joe, it's pretty nice.

Oh, and I heartily agree with Jackson's post above. There's plenty of photographically pristine country out here but you're going to have to work it - spend time, some money and mileage. But that's part of the journey!

GJ looks like a great place, Chuck. Don't get me wrong - I like visiting the desert and canyon lands just fine, I just gotta have access to some forests, and I do like GJ's proximity to both the desert and the mountains. It'll definitely go on my "short list," thanks!