RMNP: September 2014

With the elk rut under way, it was time for me to head back to Rocky Mountain National Park. Of course, I wasn't going to miss the opportunity to also shoot some scenery while I was there. So I got up at 4 a.m. and got into the park in time for sunrise.

I had the notion that there might be a nice view from along Trail Ridge Road.  I barely made it to Rainbow Curve in time for the show, which as usual started well before the sun broke the horizon.

Of course, when the sun did break the horizon it just took things up a notch.

I need to invest in a graduated neutral density filter that actually fits my 65mm lens.  For shots like these I'm holding my old 77mm filter against the lens by hand, which is especially awkward when your fingers get numb on chilly mornings.

A few other folks arrived after I did but in time to catch the action.  They left before I did, too.  I always want to make sure that I've exhausted every opportunity for an interesting shot.  Once I've gone to all the trouble to get somewhere, it just makes more sense to take full advantage of being there.

Heading back down to the meadows, I made one more stop at Many Parks Curve.  The sun had already ascended high enough to take the dawn color out of the sky, but was low enough to still provide some drama.

The spot also provided a nice vantage point for Longs Peak.

My first stop on the elk viewing tour was Sheep Lakes, where Taryn and I had success four years ago.  All was quiet this morning from a wildlife standpoint.  But it still seemed worth a quick reflective shot.

I came up empty on the road to the Upper Beaver Meadows trailhead as well.  Moraine Park finally provided a harem of cows, but their bull was out of sight.  So I decided to return to Sheep Lakes and start over.  Still no elk, but sunnier conditions yielded a more vibrant view looking towards the Mummy Range.

A slight change of position yielded a pleasingly different perspective.  But elk were my goal on this day.  So I packed up and continued my quest, which I'll cover in another post!