Snow on the Aspens!

Frost on the woodpile, Kaibab National Forest AZ

Yes, I still believe that it’s better to be lucky than good sometimes.

Frozen. Fish Lake National Forest, UT

We experienced the season’s first snow in southern Utah. On the aspens.  Yeah.  These are the times when I’m too excited and grateful to notice that I’m cold. The biggest challenge is choosing a favorite shot. 

Spotlight above Seven Mile Creek, UT

Snow and shifting light make everything more beautiful.  This is a favorite fishing spot for my husband.  I’ve shot there before, but it never hit me in the chest like this.

There were a few more notables.

Before and after.  Aerial images taken 9 days apart, Kaibab National Forest, AZ

We started in the North Kaibab Forest, north of the Grand Canyon.  I’ve been spending time there for many years but there are always new special places to discover.  Fall color arrived late there this year, so we decided to loop north into Utah and come back on the way home.  In truth there were great opportunities at both times.  These two drone images were taken 9 days apart in nearly the same location. The cold weather came on suddenly and things changed fast.

Just when I was reflecting on the timing and rapidity of the process this year, a link to a  fascinating post from Sara Marino landed in my inbox.  Among other things, she asserts that peak fall color doesn’t exist. She elaborates,

“Many … are obsessed with the concept of peak fall colors, as if there is a single day in which a region looks its very best, and if you arrive before or after that day, you will essentially be wasting your time. The feeling of potentially missing “the best” conditions creates stress and anxiety, two emotions that are not conducive to creative thinking and can diminish the experience of being outside. The concept of peak fall color also assumes that all photographers are looking for the same thing and that there is a single definition of “best conditions.”  

Tree Skeletons as backdrop, Kaibab National Forest, AZ

There are so many opportunities in autumn aspen forests, from just-barely yellow to the contrast provided by bare trees and leaf carpets.  The rapid change is a gift reminding us to be mindful and to appreciate what’s in front of us.

Ice Puddle Reflection, Fish Lake National Forest, UT

Speaking of mindfulness, I stumbled on these frozen puddles in the Fish Lake National Forest shortly before the rising sun hit the trees behind.  I was so grateful to be in “the zone” and anticipate the reflections.

Frosty Flowers, Kaibab National Forest, AZ

The hoar frost on these flowers, remnants of summer in the Kaibab, stopped me in my tracks, too.

S-Curve aerial, Kaibab National Forest, AZ

This was my first autumn with the drone.  Several times we chose a campsite because it was outside the Grand Canyon no-fly zone.  I’d been dreaming of the top-down tree shots like this.

Moonset over Circle Cliffs, UT

When I started planning for the full moon, I decided on a departure from the high-altitude forests in Utah and camped near the Circle Cliffs in Grand Staircase Escalante National Forest.  The amazing eroded colorful and eroded bentonitic formations out there blow me away. The chance to enjoy warmer temperatures and thaw out wasn’t bad either.

Since we were in the neighborhood, we stopped for dinner at Hell’s Backbone Grill. Theirs is spectacular food in the middle of nowhere.  This was certainly a departure from the usual camping meals, but there are no rules, I say.

Dramatic light, Fish Lake National Forest

I’m a sucker for drama.  This example in the Fish Lake Forest made me glad I kept prowling around with my camera despite the temperature hovering around freezing all day.

Dawn on the Fremont River, UT

My husband was invited to fish on a private section of the Fremont River near Torrey Utah.  The plan was to drop him off and go exploring with Gypsy the Wonder Dog.  I’m glad I took a little walk around this beautiful spot first.

12 days on the road, gratitude, and luck.

There’s more on the website, in the Autumn 2023 Gallery.