|
|
 |
|
Longs Peak from Twin Sisters in Autumn
|
|
Twin Sisters is an 11,000-foot peak on the outskirts of Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park that provides
one of the best views of the east face of 14,259-foot Longs Peak, the highest mountain in the park. I knew
of several aspen groves on the west side of Twin Sisters that offered the hope of a good view of Longs Peak, but when I went
to scout them, none really worked. Then one day while I was scouting other shots off-trail near the summit
of Twin Sisters, I happened to look down the western flank and spotted this grove of aspen, which is not visible from any
trail or road. I figured out from my topographic map where the grove had to be, then hiked cross-country
through the woods, navigating by compass and altimeter, until I reached the grove. Satisfied that the grove
did offer a good shot, I returned twice more and finally found the aspen leaves at their height of color. I
made the image with a Zone VI field camera and Kodak Pro 100 film. Climbing
Longs Peak is a rite of passage for summit-starved residents of Front Range cities like Denver, Boulder and Colorado Springs.
Roughly 27,000 people attempt Longs Peak each year, mostly during July and August; about two-thirds succeed.
Intense people-pressure from three million visitors to the Park each year has forced the park to strictly limit backcountry
camping permits. Sites in the Boulderfield, the only place along the popular Keyhole route where camping
is allowed, fill months in advance. That’s why most Longs Peak aspirants attempt to blitz the mountain
in just one day. Savvy mountaineers attempting Longs and all the other high peaks start well before dawn
so they can reach the summit and return to the safety of timberline before the afternoon thunderstorms gather strength.
Naive flatlanders who start after sunup often get hammered by rain, hail and summer snow while still far above timberline.
Too often they find themselves fleeing for their lives before the storm’s wrath. Lightning,
falls and hypothermia have killed 54 mountaineers on Longs Peak since the park was created in 1915.
To order an 11x14 loose, matted-only or framed print of Longs
Peak from Twin Sisters in Autumn, please visit my product catalog by clicking the link beneath the appropriate thumbnail
below.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Glenn Randall Photography
At
home on the web at GlennRandall.com and AGPix.com
Specializing in Colorado landscape photography and Colorado scenic photography since 1993
Now offering a select
group of Utah landscape photographs from Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park
Glenn Randall Photography
and its online store, GlennRandall.com, offer some of the finest Colorado landscape photographs, Colorado scenic photographs
and Colorado photographic prints available
Colorado landscape photographs and Colorado scenic photographs are offered
both as prints for the general public and as stock images for professional photo buyers.
For the best in Colorado
landscape photography, Colorado scenic photography and Colorado photographic prints, add glennrandall.com to your favorites
today. Thanks for visiting--please check back often!
|
|
|
|
