Impression Evergreen

"Goliath Peak" Colored Pencil Indiscriminate with its wrath, Goliath Peak is a ferocious summit controlling entry into the Mount Evans Massive. Expressed in the composition above, a casual climb is transfigured into a crippling circumstance of chaos and confusion. And so it begins just below tree line where sinister, black pine are guardians of the gateway to Gehenna. Jumbled across the foreground, patches of muted color are arranged in strange, interlocking shapes. At the far end of the earth, blue mountains are an impenetrable barrier compressing the space into a suffocating picture plane. Silvery green in the summer, the hulking behemoth looms above but it’s not quite as close as it appears. Gnarled, gray snags are twisted in front of the darkest darks as their pale presence is a painful reminder of our certain mortality. Hopefully, the most recent storm has passed as promised by broken clouds that disperse across the steel-blue sky. Reaching the top is a back...

"Longs Peak" Colored Pencil In an eerie breeze, obedient aspen quake with fright before their dark master. Longs Peak is a purple monster streaked with passages of resilient white snow. The Rocky Mountain monarch dwells in an enchanted woodland threaded with creeks, wildflowers and waterfalls. A trek to the top begins with a march to the Boulderfield. Above treeline, the alpine environment is distinguished by treacherous terrain and spectacular scenery. Proceed with caution through the magical Keyhole, up into the steep Trough and across the frightening Narrows. A quick scramble up the final Ramp and you're at the football-field sized summit. The struggle for glory is rewarded with bitter cold, ferocious wind and an indescribable illness. At such an inhospitable altitude, the weather will almost certainly take a turn. Now, the weary traveler must be ever cautious because the bitter rock revels in its dangerous decline. Follow landmarks that lead into the protec...

Western Terrestrial Garter Snake I have a fear of heights, but I love to climb mountains. I'm scared of snakes, but I will eagerly handle them. A few days ago while hiking the shoreline of a small mountain lake, we encountered a Western Terrestrial Garter Snake. My first reaction was to recoil in fear. Surprised to see a snake at this elevation, we cautiously observed the reptile for a little bit. He was about two feet long and a striking yellow-gray in color with dark patterns. He appeared fairly harmless. Modern symbolic traditions tend to stress the negative role of the snake - like the fear inducing danger of it's venomous bite. As a teenager in Western Nebraska working on a cattle ranch, we were under direct orders to kill any rattlesnake seen near the homeplace. That's something I couldn't do today. Older legends and myths, however, often include mysterious, positive traits of the snake. The snake is often associated with healing and reincarnation. Nati...

Summit Lake After a delicious Father's Day breakfast served in bed by my two boys, we decided to drive to the summit of Mount Evans. To get to the top is a 30 mile drive from our front door. As we ascended the highest paved road in North America, our first wildlife sighting was a herd of elk, grazing high above timberline. In the summer the elk move up to higher elevations and cooler temperatures. Rocky Mountain Elk are built for the cold and don't tolerate heat very well. Our first stop was Summit Lake nestled high in a glacial basin just below the summit. This cold, clear lake is the headwater for Bear Creek and flows down into Evergreen Lake and then all the way to Denver. We really got our blood pumping by ascending to the top of Mount Spalding and looked down into the beautiful Chicago Basin. After getting some pictures of the lake, we drove the treacherous, winding road up to the summit parking lot. At the top, we explored a rocky structure know as the castle in ...