Aspens in the Fog

For several years we had hoped to catch the Dallas Divide and San Juan Mountain area around Silverton with the combination of fresh snow and golden, yellow aspens in the midst of their fall change.

That rare combination took several years to come together, arriving at the end of a 12 day trip to West Texas, 2022. On our return, we had spent the night near Molas Pass in the back of our shell-covered pickup. After a stormy, wet night, when we awoke in the morning, everything was covered in a 1-2” layer of heavy, wet snow. This was our unplanned opportunity.

Time was of the essence now. We quickly made some decisions about where to go photograph which took us to Molas Lake first, then we drove north just a little to see if we could get some photos of an historic old cabin, frequently photographed, that sat on an open knoll, framed by the snow-covered Grenadier Peaks in the distance and a glowing group of aspens, just behind the cabin. The clouds left over from the storm lingered low and were only slowly lifting as we hiked toward that cabin. Along the way, we spotted this group of aspens, shrouded by the still lifting clouds and framed out by some tall evergreens.

Not all fall photos must be of brilliant colors and rich, blue sky. The photographer, Carrie  Cooney, capturing the foggy conditions created a different mood; one of a little mystery and perhaps a chilly loneliness. This image looks great printed on canvas which would give it more the impression of a painting.