RMNP Sunrise: December 2017

Winter break provided another opportunity to get to Colorado.  We stayed with friends in Winter Park, which put me within striking distance of the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park.  I'd never been to the west side of the park in the winter, so after speaking with a ranger I made plans to hit the East Inlet Trail at sunrise.

There weren't many clouds, so there wasn't much color in the sky.  Just a lot of frigid shades of blue from the summits to the meadow where I'd set up.

The peaks to the east meant that the sun wasn't actually visible at the official sunrise time, either.

I moved around a fair amount hoping to catch a glimpse of the sun, but it stubbornly hid behind the mountains.

Eventually giving up on a stunning background, I began searching for an interesting foreground.  These dead logs did the job.

Seriously, an hour after "sunrise" the sun still wasn't visible.  Clearly I had not planned thoroughly.

Tweaking my composition was starting to lose its appeal, too.  And it probably goes without saying that it was pretty chilly out.

Eventually the lure of the Fat Cat Cafe's breakfast buffet grew too strong, and I packed up and hiked back out.  The morning certainly had its own beauty; it just wasn't the beauty I had hoped for.  That's nature for you!