Impression Evergreen

Yankee Boy Basin, Colorado Famous for its turquoise lakes and sparkling waterfalls, Yankee Boy Basin is an alpine garden bursting with brilliant wildflowers. Up out of Ouray, Colorado, the spectacular valley is settled in the shadow of an ancient volcano. The green passageway is enclosed by a castle of sculpted peaks with peculiar names like Teakettle, Cirque, Kismet, Gilpin, Stony and Potosi. The undisputed ruler of this extraordinary kingdom is a rigid monarch called Mount Sneffels. In this mountain paradise, an exuberant creek is a ribbon of white water that cascades through fields of blue columbine. Unfortunately, an afternoon thunderstorm awakens the dreamy traveler and forces a retreat back to the land of reality.

Queen of the San Juan Mountains, Colorado East out of Ridgeway, Colorado, the quiet countryside is a subtle landscape of lower hay fields that give way to a riot of colorful wildflowers and quaking aspen. Rising above tree line is a sweep of rugged terrain composed of sharp pinnacles and serrated ridges. A scenic sub-range of the San Juan Mountains, this confusion of untidy crags is an everlasting remnant of an ancient volcano. Positioned majestically amongst these picturesque peaks is Mount Sneffels, also known as the "Queen of the San Juans". I've photographed Mount Sneffels from every direction, during different seasons and in all kinds of weather so attaining the summit was an awesome experience. This region is one of the most beautiful destinations in the west and probably my favorite place on earth.

Incredible Yankee Boy Basin "Then something Tookish woke up inside him, and he wished to go and see the great mountains, and hear the pine trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves, and wear a sword instead of a walking stick". ~ JRR Tolkien In a land far, far away there exists such a place. An ancient volcano has been sculpted into a castle of pinnacles and spires. A ring of peaks with names like Teakettle, Cirque, Kismet, Gilpin, Stony and Potosi encloses a magical, green passageway. Famous for its turquoise lakes and sparkling waterfalls, the alpine garden is bursting with dazzling wildflowers. Mount Sneffels looms over the valley as the undisputed ruler of an extraordinary kingdom. The rigid monarch forms an imposing barrier between paradise and reality. A clear blue sky gives way to afternoon rain showers. Thunder demands the traveler must leave. The incredible journey has come to an end so it's time to return to our shire. As gray clouds draw near a...