For many years I’ve been longing to visit the Sawtooth Range in Idaho, and last week I finally got the chance! We went on a 7-day backpacking trek through the range, starting from Pettit Lake and ending at Redfish Lake, taking a few detours along the way.
Hiking above the brilliant blue Twin Lakes.
The Sawtooths did not disappoint, with their seemingly endless supply of emerald lakes surrounded by jagged granite spires.
See more photos from the trek below! (more…)
Here’s some photos from a nice hike we did in the Wasatch Range in Utah a couple days ago!
Sundial Sunset : Prints Available
Red sunset light on Sundial Peak - August. In the foreground is the red glacier-scoured rock that surrounds Lake Blache. Shortly after taking this photo, thunder clouds and lightning came over the ridge into the basin, sending us running for our lives down into the forest!
On tap: a week in the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho! Stay tuned…
Snowmass Lake Alpenglow Reflection : Prints Available
Brilliant alpenglow on Snowmass Peak and Snowmass Mountain (14,092 ft.), reflected in Snowmass Lake - July.
Last week we spent 6 days backpacking around the famous Maroon Bells in the Elk Mountains of Colorado. The photos pretty much tell the story so I won’t say too much else except that it was another great trek in Colorado!
See many more photos below! (more…)
Wetterhorn Sunrise Sunflowers : Prints Available
Sunrise light on Wetterhorn Peak, with Matterhorn Peak to the left. Uncompahgre Wilderness, July.
Last week Claudia and I went on a 5-day backpacking loop in the Uncompahgre Wilderness in the San Juan Mountains east of Ouray. Our route circumnavigated the fourteeners Wetterhorn and Uncompahgre Peaks and took us through a paradise of expansive green tundra, wildflowers, and peaks.
See a LOT more photos below! (more…)
A summer monsoon storm rolls over the San Juan Mountains, as seen from Bridge of Heaven above Ouray, Colorado – July.
On Saturday we took advantage of the glorious July weather and hiked up Hayden Mountain. Here’s Claudia hiking up to the 12,578 ft. northern summit of Hayden. The town of Ouray is tucked in the valley far below.
Sneffels Range Tundra Sunset : Prints Available
The sun sets behind the Sneffels Range, as seen from the tundra near Upper Blue Lake - June.
Claudia and I spent Thursday night up at Blue Lakes in the Sneffels Range. We enjoyed an exciting thunderstorm, followed by a windy evening, a night with an unidentified animal stalking around our tent, and finally a gorgeous clear morning. But the highlight of all – Claudia said yes and we’re engaged!!!
Blue Lake Vertical Panorama : Prints Available
A vertical panorama of Lower Blue Lake under Dallas Peak and the Sneffels Range.
Lower Blue Lake Wideangle : Prints Available
A wide angle view of Lower Blue Lake in the Sneffels Range - June.
Carhuacocha Sunrise : Prints Available
Brilliant sunrise alpenglow on the tallest peaks of the Cordillera Huayhuash (Yerupaja, Yerupaja Chico, and Jirishanca), reflected in Laguna Carhuacocha - June.
Here are a few photos “from the vault”, from my trip to Peru a year ago. Both were taken along our trek around the Cordillera Huayhuash. One of my favorite shots from the trek was from this same spot but at sunset. Because I liked that one better, with its softer, calmer light and clouds, I never posted this version from sunrise. But this one definitely has some pop, eh?
Yerupaja Panorama : Prints Available
A panoramic view of the Cordillera Huayhuash around Yerupaja (6617m, 21,709 ft.), the second tallest mountain in Peru. Jirishanca (6094m) is towards the left side. June 2010.
I took this panorama during one of the more spectacular bits of hiking during the 11-day trek. That day we came from over a pass off the right side of the photo, but instead of taking the standard trail down through the valley, we hiked along this high ridgeline, with a huge views of the mountain range the whole way. We ended up at a lake down in the valley on the left side of the photo, under impressive peak of Jirishanca.
My spontaneous three week trip to Peru last June ended up being a wonderful decision, not the least because I met my girlfriend Claudia on this trek! I would have never guessed before this that I’d soon be spending six months in the Alps to be with her. And she arrives to Colorado on Monday!!! So thank you, Peru!
Check out an interview I recently did which was just posted on the photography blog Fotoloco: http://blog.fotolo.co/2011/interview-jack-brauer/. Go ahead and leave a comment there if you feel the impulse. Thanks Bo!
