Always be prepared for a great picture in Colorado!

Yesterday, I drove around looking for some nice landscapes to photograph. I wasn’t sure if the road to Owl Creek Pass was open yet, but I thought I would give it a try. With my little Subaru outback, I was off on the trails heading up the mountain! The higher I got, the colder it was and more snow started to appear.

When you’re off-roading in the snow, there comes a time on every trail where you stop and think “Can I make this?”. The second thought is “What happens if I get stuck?”. Since living in Montrose Colorado, I have gotten stuck in the snow many times! Never the less, I pushed on…

The snow had some icy patches, but as long as you NEVER STOP on the snow and ice, you should be ok. So I kept going. Finally, I came to a stopping point where there was some dirt to turn around in. There was no way a car could go any further, because the snow was stacked 3 feet high.

This is where it’s good to be prepared. I just so happened to have my cross country skis with me! I put them on, grabbed my camera gear and off I went, all by myself in the snow to a location I’ve been trying to get to for a long time! Luckily, I was only about half a mile away form the spot, so skiing uphill through some snow wouldn’t be hard. It’s an amazing feeling to be out in the snow all by yourself with no one around for miles. It’s soothing, but I was also a little nervous, because you never know what wild animals are waiting out there.

This is where I finally stopped and snapped my picture! Courthouse rock looks amazing in the snow! The only thing that could make this better is some yellow aspen trees, but beggars can’t be choosers! I was super happy that I was able to get there. There’s no doubt in my mind that I would have never made it if I wasn’t prepared. Luckily, I’ve made some good friends that are adventurous and have allowed me to tag along with them in situations like this before, so I knew exactly what needed to be done to get to this spot!

Overall, the experience was out of this world! As a photographer, I know that a better day would make for an even better picture, but this shot symbolized so much more than just a picture. It serves as a constant reminder, that if you go after the shot and are fully prepared for anything, magical moments can happen!

What do you think? Tell me in the comments, what has been your greatest adventure?