Impression Evergreen

Sandhills sunset Christmas time on the prairie and the weather conditions are brutal due to heavy snow, high winds and horrific cold. The annual winter trek to western Nebraska has been transformed into an arctic expedition. After a week of natural destruction, the storm subsides and a breathtaking sunset seals the covenant. A cautious trudge along the frigid creek reveals the stark aftermath of such a powerful system. The tortured landscape is a curious blend of harshness and beauty created by the unique forces from above. The low light creeping through the forest enhances the surreal atmosphere of peace and quiet. The charcoal-colored trees form haunting silhouettes that frame the deep perspective generated by the rolling Sandhills. Spanned by delicately arched snow-bridges, the crooked waterway recedes into the distance. The sharp stream-bank is steepened by deep drifts that slide dangerously into the frigid water. Bergs of strange shaped ice are strewn all over accenting a

Snowstorm at Stagecoach Park After months of record breaking snowfall during March and April, the cold streak continues into the middle of May. The frigid beauty revealed in the aftermath of a freak snowstorm betrays the dreary weather experienced this spring. As usual dawn is shrouded in mist and you can see your own breath as glassy, white ice encases the shocked landscape. The trees are particularly hard hit but they display a defiant resolve to defeat the unexpected elements. Stagecoach Park is barely recognizable because of the low-lying clouds that cause reduced visibility. The field’s sturdy fence line seems to extend from an impressive pine all the way into absolute nothingness. After about a day of such nonsense the blue sky opened back up and an impatient sun went to work releasing winter’s almost unclench-able grip. Even the park’s iconic landmark, Bob the Dinosaur, has grown weary of this eternal, glacial event as it feels like we’re still in the last Ice Age. Freak sno

Cold, blue creek It’s brutally frigid on the Arctic plain but a cold, blue creek rushes defiantly through a field of icy florets. Freshly fallen snow has created a deep embankment smoothed over by persistent winds. Providing a warm note, reddish trees are gathered in clusters that are scattered throughout the winter pasture. At 22 degrees below zero, there isn’t another living creature to be seen, making the extraordinary wandering even more memorable. The intense storm has cleared out but even a dazzling sun can’t warm up the cushion of cold air that has filled the void left behind. The stream of transparent indigo flows in a series of sharp s-curves through a vast country of desolation. Life on the prairie is hard. Brutally frigid Deep embankments Icy florets Freshly fallen snow A dazzling sun An indigo stream Cushion of cold air Desolate country Life on the prairie is hard Reddish trees

Evergreen Lake On an exceptionally beautiful morning at Evergreen Lake, a dusting of fresh snow was hard evidence of a cold night. As the transition to winter gradually occurs, the last bit of open water was vanishing beneath a veil of thin ice. Clouds of moist air began to disperse but they diffused the low light, resulting in an effect of milky atmosphere. Usually during the quiet season, you won’t glimpse a single soul in the vacant wetlands but on that day we observed a pair of wonderful waterfowl. Perched on a rocky outcrop, a double-crested cormorant was drying its wings down below the dam’s spillway. Distinguished by piercing blue eyes, this prehistoric-looking creature was probably just passing through while on his way to a much warmer place. Around on the far end of the blue reservoir, we encountered one of my favorite species, the American dipper. It was a pleasant surprise because I normally see this chunky, little bird farther downstream feeding in the fast-flowi

Morning in the mountains On a frigid morning in the mountains, the dark landscape is coated with a thin layer of sparkling ice. Tired and cold, it's difficult to get going on such a dreary, winter dawn. By late January, the Front Range foothills are quiet and colorless. On this day things are different as a large herd of elk have gathered in the monochrome meadow. Strung out along the crest of a wide ridge, cows, yearlings and bulls forage together in the ochre grass. Patches of broken snowpack slide into the narrow draw below. After such an unusual weather event, the pure-white Evergreens look like crystallized Christmas Trees. In the low light, their grey shadows stretch across the watery gulch. It's a melancholy Monday but the morning march is a therapeutic necessity. It looks like it's going to be another hectic few days, working for the weekend. A frigid morning The dark landscape is covered with ice A dreary, winter dawn The foothills a