Monthly Archives: July 2014

Every year in late June or early July, I make a trip up to Mount Evans for a sunrise-sunset shoot from the upper reaches of the mountain, which is one of the highest peaks in the state at 14,265 feet high. It’s a bit of a tradition. Shooting sunrise or sunset this time of year is a bit of a 50/50 proposition thanks to the monsoon. If the monsoon is active, sunset is usually a washout as storms surround the summit, often with lots of lightning. But the increase in storms can also bring more clouds for sunrise, whereas in a weaker monsoon, clear skies are almost a given for sunrise. I’ve had some success in past trips at sunrise, so this year I targeted a break in the monsoon for a chance at a nice sunset, which has eluded me in previous years.

My initial plan was to hike out to the Sawtooth, a jagged ridge that separates Evans from
nearby Mount Bierstadt, another 14,000 foot peak, for sunset. I got out to the start of the Sawtooth, and it suddenly occurred to me how crazy it would be to have to scramble back through this field of talus and boulders in the dark, even with a headlamp to guide my way. There is some tricky exposed climbing in this area. So, I decided to backtrack to s higher point closer to the summit of Evans. I got back there just in time for a real nice sunset, complete with sun rays and a nice red glow!

The next morning, as expected, there was not a cloud in the sky. So, I needed to focus on shots that required minimal sky. I decided to hike down from Summit Lake on the Summit Lake trail. There were lots of little tarns along the way, and a nice stream cascading down the mountainside. It was the perfect location for sunrise, and the wildflowers were pretty abundant.

I headed back before the crowds of tourists descended on the summit. It was a great evening and morning to be out on the mountain!

A couple weeks ago, I had one last chance to get out to the plains in hopes of catching a tornado this season. But, as the trend was all season, I chased some supercells that were tornado-warned, but just couldn’t get the right combo of ingredients to produce the elusive twister. After putting in another 600 miles or so of driving, out to west-central Kansas and back, the highlight of the trip was an electric storm that really intensified as the sun set. All of my ‘keepers’ were shot in that short time right before sunset to about half hour afterwards.

Was it worth a long day of driving? I dunno, but it was a pretty cool sunset, and a nice light show! I may have to head back out in August for my annual sunflower-and-lightning shoot.