“Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.” –John Muir
Those who know me, know how much I love the southwestern United States. I used to visit annually in my younger years but the hectic pace of a career and family life kept me away for far too long. This year I changed that!
Our close friends – whom we call family – live just outside of Denver, Colorado. They invited us out to visit and explore the state with them this summer. Our kids have never been out west, so I was anxious to show them the beauty and splendor! I was also excited to visit and let our kids spend some time together, since they grew up with each other and our families share some really great memories! We counted down the days and jumped for joy when we loaded up on our plane and took off for the southwest.
The week we spent together in Colorado was epic! We saw and did so many different things and my cup runneth over as we watched our children fall in love with the incredible mountains and the stunning beauty of Colorado. This wasn’t a “photography trip,” it was a family vacation; however, I brought my gear along in the hopes I could capture the moments we shared together out there.
I am now able to share those moments with all of you through a 2-part series of blog posts. This series of images above captures our adventure up Mount Evans, one of the 50+ “14’ers” that cover the vast landscape. The mountains that rise to more than 14,000 feet above sea level are called 14’ers and are sought out by hikers as they climb to soaring heights. I hiked my first “14’er” in Colorado 30 years ago this year, so it was pretty amazing to share a similar experience with my kids and family….even if we drove to the summit and didn’t hike it!
On our trip back down, we stopped to hike through the ancient Bristlecone Pine Trees that grow in a small area of the mountain. These trees are incredibly special, as they range from 700 to 1,600 years old and grow just at the edge of the tree-line. I was captivated by the beauty of their lines and twists and strength.
We were lucky enough to see the Mountain Goats and watch them graze along the edges of the mountains and I also captured some of the snowcaps that remain on the mountain summits year-round.
I hope you enjoy the beauty of what I captured through my lens and stay tuned for part-2, where I will share images of Hanging Lake and Rocky Mountain National Park! Enjoy!
