Colorado Fall Colors, 2023

Every year, I try to visit the Colorado mountains for peak fall colors. And if possible, I try to time my trip for the first real snowfall of the season, because aspen with snow is one of my favorite things to photograph–the striking clash of the seasons, the juxtaposition of warm and cool colors.

Colors were a bit late this year, as was the first snow…but I kept checking the forecast and finally headed out for a whirlwind tour of some of the fall color hotspots in early October. My trip began in Buena Vista and the Collegiate Range. There were still some snow showers above 9,000 feet elevation as I approached the Rockies.


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As I continued up towards Cottonwood Pass, I stopped frequently to take in all the fall colors and light snow on the ground.


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There’s nothing prettier than the alpine tundra in fall, especially with a little snow. The striking whites, reds, and yellows are just awe-inspiring!


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There was even more snow on the west side of Cottonwood Pass, and I got to see one of my favorite things–aspen mixed with snow-covered evergreens!


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Next, I headed to Crested Butte and one of my favorite places to experience fall colors–Kebler Pass! Nothing beats its mix of deep aspen forests and snow-covered mountains.


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I got to Kebler Pass and waited for good light to spotlight the famous patch of red aspen that are visible from the pass–I call it the “Great Red Spot” I’ve taken many shots of these trees, but this may be my new favorite!


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Coming down from Kebler, I had to admire the vast stands of aspen to the west…


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Next I headed to McClure Pass for sunset; the colors were extra special this year!


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I could not resist a trip to the famous Maroon Bells the next morning for sunrise. It was cloudy and still snowing when I arrived at Maroon Lake, but the scene was as beautiful as always!


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Perhaps my favorite place to photograph fall colors in Colorado is Twin Lakes. It probably is not the most popular amongst photographers, which is one reason I like it so much! To me, the combination of 14,000 foot peaks in the distance, the shimmering lake, and the small stands of extra-colorful aspen make the place unique. So I spent a whole day there, taking many photos as the light changed throughout the day…


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A few stray clouds remained after sunset and added to the many colors found at Twin Lake! Another special fall colors trip in the Colorado mountains.


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High Surf Advisory at Torrey Pines, California

Big ocean swell moves ashore at Torrey Pines

I grew up just miles from the beaches on Long Island–I frequently would bike to the beach and swim in the ocean, and I got my PADI scuba certification in my teens in the murky waters of Long Island Sound. But until this past week, I had not swam in the ocean in over 20 years. I was excited to get back to the surf, so excited that I blew a couple grand on an underwater surf housing (Aquatech) for my camera.

It was good to be back! I miss the grand feel of the sea, and the chorus of waves that is constantly changing on the beach. I spent three mornings at Torrey Pines, first scouting out various locations, including the famous Black’s Beach, where I took this photo at sunset. I was surprised to find flowers blooming in January!

Sunset from the glider park above Black’s

I probably should have picked calmer conditions, but my hubris drove me to target a week of heavy surf, somne of the roughest conditions this winter. Waves just offshore were 10+ feet, but I wisely avoided the biggest waves and stuck with 4-5 foot shore breakers. Still, instead of Clark Little-like shots of perfect waves, I mostly got tossed around like a rag doll and drank lots of seawater as I captured various shots of bubbles and foam!

The state reserve from the shore breaking waves.

Still I came away with some interesting shots like this over-under shot just after sunrise. It was hihgly addictive and I will certainly be back–I learned a lot in three mornings jumping into the ocean!

Waves breaking at sunrise from Torrey Pines.

There is something profoundly beautiful and calming about the ocean–especially at sunrise and sunset. It’s a special place to be.

Sunrise from Torrey Pines.
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First Snow

Intense light at sunset from the Arizona Trail near Flagstaff.

Nothing compares to the first snowfall in Autumn, particularly when it coincides with fall colors. I always try to get out for the first sunrise or sunset after the first significant snowfall of the season. This year, in Flagstaff we got about two inches of snow that fell overnight in October. I got up early the next morning and drove up to Sunset Crater on the east side of the San Francisco Peaks to try to catch sunrise from Lockett Meadow. But there were ongoing snow squalls and visibility was low, and as I started driving up the steep narrow forest road that leads to the Meadow, it was nearly a whiteout and the road was quite slick with about 6 inches of fresh snow and ice. So I reluctantly turned back, figuring my life was not worth a photo. Instead, I changed my plans and drove up the road to the ski area on the west side of the peaks in hopes that things would clear out for sunset. The low clouds held on through the afternoon, but I did manage to catch a couple minutes of intense red light just before sunset as the sun briefly dipped below the cloud deck. As I hiked back along the Arizona Trail, I noticed this fern and thought that it might make a terrific composition in early morning light; so I vowed to return for sunrise.

A fresh snowfall on the Arizona trail early morning.

When I hiked back to my favorite fern, the morning light was shining through the aspen forest, and the fern was perfectly back lit. Much to my delight, a couple aspen leaves–one red and one yellow–fell overnight and landed in the snow in perfect synchronicity. It almost looked like someone had planted them, but the lack of footprints argued against that idea. I think it was just meant to be; nature acted as the supreme artist and arranged the shot for me in a magical way. The first snow of the year was once again a memorable experience!

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Snow and Red Rocks

Cathedral Rock after a snow storm.
Cathedral Rock reflecting in Oak Creek after sunrise following a low elevation snowfall.

One of my favorite subjects to photograph is snow and red rocks. The red and white contrast has to be one of the most striking color combinations in nature. And snow at Sedona’s lower elevations, around 4000 feet, is sufficiently rare (maybe a couple times a winter) that you have to be ready to catch it when it happens. So, I was ready January 27th, the morning after a two day storm brought about 8 inches of fresh snow to Sedona. I had about 35 inches at my home in Flagstaff, So I had been continuously digging out for a couple days straight to get out in time for the clearing skies behind the storm.

I left early Wednesday morning and got to the trailhead for my planned location about 45 minutes before sunrise. It was just starting to get light out when I did the short hike out to Oak Creek at a popular spot where water cascades down the red rocks and a big pool of clear water forms downstream. I love this spot in all seasons; it changes character with the trees and water levels. While I was waiting for sunrise I spotted a river otter playing in the big deep pool–he kept me entertained while I was waiting for sunrise, swimming back and forth and occasionally hopping up onto the snowy banks of the creek. River otters used to live in Arizona but were eradicated by early settlers; they were reintroduced into the Verde River area in the early ’80s. Otters have to be one of the coolest animals to see in the wild…

river otter in Oak Creek, Sedona
River otter playing in Oak Creek, Sedona.

There is only one winter week in the year when the sun rises in between the massive twin buttes of Cathedral Rock, in the middle with the prominent central spire. I was fortunate that this low elevation snowfall coincided with the good sunrise timing. And then, I only had a couple seconds to catch the sunstar appearing as the sun broke the rocky profile of Cathedral. Seconds beforehand, and the trees were all in shadow. Seconds later, and the light was too harsh and bright to photograph. It was a special moment and a joy to witness and capture!

A couple days later, another quick moving storm moved through Arizona and brought a quick shot of mountain snow. It wasn’t quite cold enough to bring snow to Cathedral Rock, but was enough to coat the cliffs of the Mogollon Rim with fesh snow. I caught the clesaring conditions behind this sotrm right from the parking lot of The Hudson Restaurant above my gallery–preoof that my gallery location has to be one of the most scenic in the nation! And, nothing beats red rocks and snow!

Snow above Sedona, January 29, 2021
A clearing snowstorm over Wilson Mountain in Sedona, as seen from my gallery parking lot!
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Winter is Grand

Yaki Point winter sunrise.
A sublime sunrise from Yaki Point after a snowstorm.

Twelve years ago, I drove out from Colorado to get to the Grand Canyon in time for a light overnight snowfall. I wanted to catch the Canyon at sunrise after the snow had fallen. I stayed in a hotel south of the park, then drove to Grand Canyon Village early in the morning to catch the first shuttle bus to Yaki Point. I was the only one on the bus as it dropped me off about an hour before sunrise. I hiked down the South Kaibob Trail and took lots of photos as the sun rose and clouds cleared from the canyon. It was a magical experience and it stuck with me.

Yaki Point in winter at sunrise
Sunrise from Yaki Point in winter at the south rim of the Grand Canyon.

Now that I am a mere 80 minute drive from the south rim, I am able to jump on every opportunity to catch the Canyon after a snowfall–there is nothing quite like the Grand Canyon in snow! Yesterday morning, January 20, 2021, seemed like a good opportunity to catch some dynamic conditions in the park. I decided to retrace my steps from twelve years ago. I had expected a couple inches to fall at the south rim, but was pleasantly surprised to find at least six inches covering the ground. Enough snow had fallen that the park road ws closed east of Yaki Point. So I parked before the road closure and hiked out along the Rim Trail towards Yaki Point. I was glad I brought micro-spikes cause the path was pretty icy. When I got to the point I hiked through snow that was drifted up to a foot or so, and scouted along the rim for compositions that would show the clouds clearing from the distant canyon walls.

Snow and clouds in the Grand Canyon
Snow, fog, and sunlight at sunrise over the distant north rim of the Grand Canyon.

Then, as the clouds slowly cleared from the canyon, I backtracked and hiked down the sloppy South Kaibab Trail to catch some views from a lower vantage point. I dropped down below “Ooh Ah Point” to where the snow level was, and watched as the canyon was flooded with warm sunlight as cold winds swirled down the trail. Yet another magical morning at one of the natural wonders of the world!

Sunrise from the South Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon.

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The Great Conjunction

The great conjunction from Monument Valley.
The Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, with the crescent moon, from Monument Valley in Arizona and Utah.

When I learned about the upcoming “Great Conjunction” of Jupiter and Saturn several months ago, I immediately began scheming and planning a shot of this once-in-a-lifetime event. The last really visible conjunction like this was in the year 1226! Coincidentally, another similar conjunction will be in the year 2080, but it seems unlikely that I will be around to see it! While the two planets will be closest on the night of December 21st, from a photographic or aesthetic standpoint I figured the night of the 16th would be best, when the crescent moon joined the planets in the sky.

First, I checked an astronomy app (Stellarium) to see where this trio of astronomic objects would appear. I determined that my foreground had to be lined up with an azimuth of 225 degrees to get my shot. So I spent a few hours ‘flying’ around in Google Earth to figure out the most iconic location to photograph the event. I quickly settled on a spot north of Monument Valley in Arizona. This location is close to “Forrest Gump Hill”–a spot made famous by the movie in which Tom Hanks stops running along a highway in this amazing desert location. I also thought of a couple back up plans in case the weather did not cooperate; but I really had my heart set on Monument Valley.

I envisioned a long view of the iconic valley with the highway leading into it, as in the Forrest Gump scene, but zoomed in so that the monument formations were present, but smaller relative to the size of the crescent moon. It’s one of my favorite ‘tricks’ of landscape photography–foreshortening. I first fell in love with foreshortened images when as a child I would wow at National Geographic photos of people, animals, or objects looking tiny in front of a setting sun or moon. I needed to be at this location at just the right time after sunset, when the moon was relatively low to the horizon and there would still be some color from the sunset.

To achieve my vision, I knew I had to use the best lens I possibly could get. The Sony 400 mm f/2.8 seemed like a good choice, and since I didn’t;t have a spare $12,000 to purchase one, I rented a lens from borrowlenses.com. It was still a bit pricey, but I figured it was worth spending a bit for this special occasion.

Using Google Earth to determine the best location to shoot the conjunction.

The morning of the conjunction, I drove the three hours to Forrest Gump Hill and then scouted for the best location for my shot, which turned out to be off a dirt road just north of Gump’s view. I watched the sunset unfold, then waited for everything to line up nicely with the cars driving up the highway that runs through Monument Valley.

I took several sets of three horizontal photos with the 400mm telephoto, with different exposures so that I could. get car lights to trail in the foreground, but properly expose the moon and planets. So, the exposures ranged from 1/15 of a second for the moon, to 20 seconds for the valley and cars. Later, I stitched the 3 horizontal images together in Photoshop to form a high resolution vertical panorama. It was a bit of editing work, but necessary to get all the detail in the shot that I wanted. The resulting image is so big that at full size you can make out Saturn’s rings, tow of Jupiter’s moons (Ganymede and Callisto) and the craters in the crescent moon (see below). This should make a stunning print!

I could see why some say a similar great conjunction that took place about 6 BC is speculated to be the origin of the “Star of Bethlehem” legend. The stark but beautiful desert landscape, the flowing traffic into the iconic valley, and the perfectly aligned celestial objects above all called to me like some great harbinger of change; great change–a new beginning following a rough 2020 to lead into the hope of a better year ahead.

A close up of the crescent moon with craters visible.
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The Secret Oasis of Arizona

Aravaipa Canyon is one of the most beautiful canyons of the Southwest, and fortunately, access to the canyon is strictly regulated.  Only 30 people a day are permitted to enter the canyon from the west side (20 from the more remote east side), via a bumpy dirt road about an hour southeast of Phoenix.  Given its southern latitude and low elevation, fall colors hang on in this riparian valley well into December.  Sycamore, ash, cottonwood and willow trees line the swiftly flowing creek, and they are ablaze with color in early December.

I secured my permit weeks in advance, and hoped for plenty of sunshine for my hike. The weather cooperated, with high temperatures in the lower 70s.  The hike began along the creek and continued for about a mile before entering the canyon. Then, the walls of the canyon quickly narrow, and from that point on most of the hike is straight through the creek. The water was never more than knee deep, but it was swiftly moving and keeping my balance was a constant challenge!  1000 foot vertical walls line the creek along the way, and the scenery is jaw-dropping. Besides the amazing landscape, the hike features a diverse collection of flora and fauna, and ancient cliff dwellings that date back 100s of years.

I hiked about halfway through the canyon, or about 5 miles, before turning around to head back to the western trailhead. I was glad that a couple trail posts indicated where the exit from the canyon was located. I only saw a few backpackers on the trip in, and I had the creek all to myself for the second half of the trip.

Such a beautiful and serene place! It is truly one of the great gems of the Desert Southwest. I hope to return soon and explore the canyon from its east side.

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2.5 Million Years Ago

A few months ago, while I was photographing the full moon rising over Bell Rock in Sedona, I noticed a lone tree growing on its summit. I love to photograph solitary living objects, like trees and flowers, because they resonate with me as being survivors. They thrive despite the heavy odds and the challenges of their isolation, alone in facing the elements. So when I spotted the tree, I immediately envisioned an image with some astronomical object behind it, to show the survivor in the context of our vast unforgiving universe. My first thought was capturing the full moon behind the tree, but the moon at that time was not in a good location in the sky for the right composition, so I figured I’d tackle this idea later in the year.

After that experience at Bell Rock, I had been experimenting with various night time compositions in northern Arizona. This is such a fantastic place to explore night photography, thanks to the relative lack of light pollution.  Recently, my wife Susie prompted me to attempt to photograph the Andromeda galaxy, which was getting higher in the sky after sunset. I’ve always been intrigued by Andromeda, because it is the most distant night sky object you can see with your eyes—the light from the galaxy is literally 2.5 million years old!  It is also the closest galaxy to our own Milky Way, and thus it gives us a glimpse at what our own galaxy might look like from distant space.

After a few test shots with a wide angle lens, to help me quickly locate Andromeda in the sky, I managed to successfully photograph the galaxy with a telephoto lens.  I was surprised at how much detail my Sony mirrorless camera could capture, without a telescope! That is what gave me the idea to use Andromeda, and not the moon, as a background object in my tree composition at Bell Rock. Andromeda was much more intriguing and original to me than the moon.

I studied the sky charts on an app for a bit, and then waited for a clear night to head to Bell Rock. On my first attempt, the trail I took did not give me a good angle on the tree and ridge top, so I returned a couple days later to try a trail that brought me closer to the base of Bell Rock. I used a 200mm telephoto lens and once it got dark enough, I took a few test shots to get a good feel of where Andromeda was in relation to the tree. I waited an hour or so before moving a bit farther up the trail so that I could get the optimal angle on the tree and galaxy. I had to anticipate when Andromeda would emerge from behind the rock, since at his point it was blocked by the top of the rock face. When I saw the glow from the galaxy begins to mingle with the silhouette of the tree, I prepared my camera settings and then took a quick series of photos as Andromeda rose above Bell Rock. I only had one opportunity, because within minutes Andromeda was high above the tree and the composition was no longer as interesting.

I was pleased at the performance of my camera in capturing the detail of Andromeda with its spiral arms and twin satellite galaxies above and below the spiral. The final photograph represents to me the beauty and resilience of life surviving in an endless see of stars, the fractal design of nature boldly proclaiming its eternity.

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Be original, Be wise

NEOWISE reflecting in the wetlands south of Flagstaff.

 

In my artist’s statement on my website, I state that my principal goal as a photographer is to:

“capture brief moments of time, and freeze them for an eternity, so that we can experience that special moment and realize the great joy that life brings to us.

That goal has never been more apparent to me the past few weeks, as comet NEOWISE circles our solar system, reaching its closest approach to earth just a couple days from this essay (Jul 22) at a distance of 65 million miles from earth, or about 3/4 the distance from the earth to our sun. 

NEOWISE is a rather average sized comet about 3 miles in diameter, a big dirty snowball made of dust, rock, and ice. It was named after the space telescope project that discovered it earlier this year.  It came from the outer fringes of our solar system, and with its highly elliptical orbit, it wont pass by the earth again for another 6,800 years. So, it truly is a once in a lifetime experience.

The last comet that was readily visible to the naked eye was Hale-Bopp in 1997. I was not much of a photographer at the time and lived in the light-polluted suburbs of New York, so my memories of Hale-Bopp are unfortunately dominated by news of the bizarre cult (Heaven’s Gate) that orchestrated a mass suicide soon after the comet appeared. I photographed comet Pan-STARRS in 2013 over the Great Sand Dunes, but I could not really see it without binoculars. That was the last time I was strongly motivated to hunt for a comet with my camera.

Earlier this year, both comets SWAN and ATLAS fizzled after some predicted that they would become naked-eye objects. A couple months ago, comet NEOWISE became the latest comet that was predicted to be visible this summer. This time, the comet exceeded expectations and became the brightest comet to be visible in the US since Hale-Bopp. So, naturally I was excited and quickly planned a few shoots to capture the comet along with the landscape of the Southwest.

As seen in this telephoto shot I took of NEOWISE in the dark skies southeast of Flagstaff, one of the many cool things about NEOWISE is the range of subtle colors it has displayed since its approach to our sun. The head has a subtle green glow that other comets have also displayed.

 

Telephoto shot of NEOWISE from the Flagstaff area.

 

And since it flipped over from being an early morning object (my photos from Bryce Canyon and Grand Canyon) to an evening object (shots from Flagstaff and Sedona) two distinct tails became visible; a broad hazy white tail that has hints of gold, and a narrower bluish tail that shoots off at another angle. The white tail is made of small pieces of the comet itself, dust particles of various sizes and masses that spread out behind the comet, while the bluish tail is made of ionized particles, molecular-sized particles or even free electrons. Fascinating!

In my first shoot of the comet, my wife convinced me to head out on little sleep to the south rim of the Grand Canyon—because what could be more majestic than to see an interstellar visitor grace the skies above one of the seven natural wonders of our planet?

I drove up highway 64 to reach the south rim, and had to dodge small groups of deer and elk the whole way up. I have a vague memory of a set of huge antlers facing me in the middle of the highway. By the time I was nearing the south rim, my speed had decreased from the speed limit of 65 down to about 45.  Seeing the comet had to take second seat to my (and the elk) survival.

When I reached the south rim, I could immediately see the comet on the horizon—it was the brightest object in the sky besides the moon and Venus! I watched it descend to the horizon as sunrise approached, and it was an incredible morning!

 

“New, Wise, and Grand” NEOWISE setting behind the south rim of the Grand Canyon.

 

When I came home and showed my wife the photos, she convinced me to head back north with her to her favorite place, Bryce Canyon National Park. We went for a hike during the day, then got up real early for a trip to the canyon rim to photograph the comet over the grand amphitheater of hoodoos. Another magnificent morning!

 

“Sunset, Sunrise, and NEOWISE” The comet from Sunset Point in Bryce Canyon National Park.

 

Then, as the comet switched over from being a morning object visible to the Northeast to an evening object visible to the northwest, I stayed closer to home, first photographing the comet reflected in the wetlands just a short distance from home. (top image)

Finally, given that my gallery is in Sedona, of course I had to think of the ultimate shot of NEOWISE appearing in the red rock landscape that defines Sedona. Since Bell Rock is generally considered to be a spiritual and energetic epicenter of Sedona (and some believe it is an actual spaceship!) It was a no-brainer to plan a photograph of the comet alongside the iconic rocky monument of Bell Rock. I light painted the trees in front with a headlamp to emphasize the complimentary colors, and when I had finished shooting the scene I put my camera away and just stayed a while to watch the comet in the sky, descending behind the great earthly monoliths standing guard in the darkness. It was another of those spiritual, uplifting experiences that keep me enthralled with the natural beauty of Sedona. And I won’t get another chance to witness this amazing event again…at least not for another 6,800 years.

 

“6,800 Years” NEOWISE setting behind Bell Rock in Sedona.

 

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Warming up to the Kofas

sunrise in the Koa Mountains
Morning in the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge

I’ve been dreaming about visiting the Kofa Mountains of southern Arizona for about a decade now. I believe I saw my first photo of this iconic location in a shot by landscape photographer Marc Adamus. I’ve seen numerous other photos from the same location by a slew of well-known professional nature photographers, it’s a not-so-well kept secret location that obviously captures the imagination of the aesthetically inclined.

Since moving to Northern Arizona, the Kofas have been high on my list, but it took me about a year to finally plan a quick trip to this remote area in southwest Arizona. I wanted some good sky conditions for a good sunset and/or sunrise, and every time I had some time to spare it seemed the weather would not cooperate. So, when I eyed this opportunity this week to catch some good sky conditions, I could not pass it up, despite the fact that the forecast was calling for record high temperatures in the desert. But I figured, “it’s still April, how bad could it be?”

Well, according to my car thermometer it was 120 degrees bad as I started driving up the dirt road that leads into the refuge. And based on my other temperature readings it was likely in the 105-106 degree range when I got there. Overnight, as I slept not-so-comfortably in my Hotel Subaru, parked alongside the rocky road, it just barely dropped below 80 degrees by morning. So…it was bad enough. Moral of the story: Don’t visit this place outside of November-March!

Kofa National Wildlife Refuge sunset
Sunset in the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge.

The plus side of the blistering heat is that I’m pretty sure I was the only person in this part of the refuge; I only saw a couple other campers driving in, and no one drove by the night and morning I was camped there. So I got to soak up the sense of isolation and feeling of solitude. True wilderness. If it were not for the amazingly good cell signal, I would surely have felt alone!

Sunset in the Koa National  Wildlife Refuge.
A variety of blooming desert plants greet the end of April in the Kofas.

And what an amazingly beautiful place this is! The photos I had seen do not do it justice. Were it not for the swarms of flies, Cholla cactus spines, and blistering heat, I would have thought I was in heaven. It was all so incredibly remote, rugged, raw, and radiant. Sublime beauty in the desert. I hope to go back this year…but in the winter. 🙂

Sunrise in the Koa Mountains
Pre-dawn colors in the Kofa Mountain desert.
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