“Cimarron Range & Fall Colors”

On By Mike U.In Photography
Cimarron Range & Fall Colors, Owl Creek Pass, SW Colorado (c) Mike Utley

M19-1(S)—Cimarron Range & Fall Colors, Owl Creek Pass, SW Colorado
Several years ago, while exploring the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado near the small town of Ridgway, I came upon Owl Creek Pass. The San Juan Mountains are spectacular as only the Rocky Mountains can be, and Owl Creek Pass was no exception. I’d never driven these backwoods gravel roads and had no idea what I’d stumble upon as I navigated the dusty path. As the evening sun stretched its warm rays across the landscape, I was greeted by the Cimarron Range, located near Silver Jack Reservoir. It was autumn and the fall colors weren’t at their peak, but the aspens tried their best to oblige this day, and the deep blue sky was eager for attention. The blues, greens and yellows played counterpoint to the serrated gray crags of stone, their striations glowing like bands of quicksilver. I like how some of the white aspen trunks are so prominent along the bottom of the frame, and the diagonal split (upper-right to lower-left) between the sky and the earth pleases my eye. Generally, I prefer clouds in a sky to add character, but this sky had such a unique depth and clarity to its hue that it has a fascination all its own. You never know what you’ll find off the beaten path, so when those gravel roads beckon, heed their call. (Canon gear, Fuji Velvia ISO 50)

29 thoughts on ““Cimarron Range & Fall Colors””

    1. Thanks, Grace. The skies are unique in the high country in this area–so clear and clean, and the blue is so intense at times. I’ve lived in the south (South Carolina, Louisiana) and the skies there were so hazy and dull compared to this area due to the humidity. Even in the absence of clouds, this sky is still pretty cool. 🙂

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  3. That beautiful blue is the highlight of this photo, Mike. I’m not downplaying the beauty of the other elements, but that blue sky is definitely the king of this photo. And that diagonal cut is so neat and adds an almost symmetrical touch to the photo. Wow! Great work! 🙂

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    1. Many thanks, Terveen. Who says blue must always refer to sadness and depression, eh? This blue is deep and luxuriant and, like you said, adds so much to the image. Thanks for the nice comment as always. 🙂

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  4. What a beautiful shot Mike, I’ve always heard of the rocky mountains of Colorado and with what you shown us today I should say it is worth the hype, it is such a spectacular view and the blue sky is a beautiful compliment to it. 🙂

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    1. Thanks a bunch, Daphny. I’m happy to share images of my world with you and others. I’m sort of fortunate that places like this one are “in the neighborhood” and not too far away. For example, from my apartment I can see mountain ranges, mesas and buttes in Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico (the Four Corners states), and they all have their own unique personalities, backgrounds and legends. I live near two major Native American reservations (Navajo and Ute), so there’s a lot of local beliefs and mythology surrounding geological features, as well as an abundance of archaeological sites. It’s a pretty fascinating place. Thanks as always for your kind and enthusiastic support. 🙂

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      1. You are one lucky person, I so envy you right now. Must’ve been such a beautiful place to reside in and the sight oh it must be one to die for. Do keep on blessing us with your marvelous image of your world. You’re most welcome Mike. 🤗

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    1. Thanks, Mark. It’s definitely a remarkable sky. The air is so clean here, with very low humidity, so we tend to get some incredibly blue skies, especially up in the mountains. I suppose it’s one of the boons of living in an extremely rural area, away from pollution and haze. Honestly, sometimes the skies here appear endless. 🙂

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