Mt. Evans

Here's a few shots from a recent trip to the top of Mt. Evans, one of Colorado's 14'ers at elevation 14,260. I dragged my family out of bed at 2 AM and to the top by 4 AM to see the Perseids Meteor Shower (fortunately this is one of the few 14'ers you can drive up), but unfortunately the full moon and proximity to the Metro Denver lights precluded the capture of any meteors. However, it did provide quite an opportunity to shoot some pretty cool scenery.

The only clouds which could be seen the entire morning were below me. In the light of the full moon this scene looks as much like the coast of Maine as it does 14,260 above sea level. These exposures ranged from 20 secs to 4 minutes. In the end though I left the shot dark. It looked a lot more natural and how I saw it.

"In the end though I left the shot dark. It looked a lot more natural and how I saw it."

Don't often see night shots that LOOK like night shots (love those stars!)...glad you left as is. Interesting light from the moon and city.
That is a heck of a trek at that hour.......dedication or what.

Wow...long time since I was up there. Beautiful at night.

I like all of these Jon with the second being my favorite. Shooting at night is something I need to try someday.

Thanks guys!

Spike, dedication is one word.....my wife used several others strewn together on the way up. I've been wanting to get up to Mt. Evans since moving to CO, and the meteor shower was a good excuse.

Gene, I thought you went out a few weeks ago?

Here's a couple more from that morning. I mentioned the full moon, but neglected to say that the moon set 5 minutes before the sun rose. It made for a busy 20 minutes right before sunrise:

This is about 15 minutes before sunrise. I threw on the 70-200 to get as close as I could. The moon looks like a Rorschach Test to me.

I used to know a couple who lived in the house up there. He died long ago, but I wonder what became of the house.

As mentioned above on the second shot, the propane tank which served the house exploded in 1979 destroying most of the house, though quite a bit of the foundation remains. I didn't really shoot much of the house, except the shot below. Unfortunately, the house was never rebuilt. Really cool that you knew the folks who lived there. I believe it was a restaurant. Did you eat there? That would have been awesome!

That may have been a different time. I didn't know about a restaurant. It was a private residence when I was there (early 70s). If I remember the name correctly, it was Bob Swanson and his wife. Not sure on the last name. He was a ham radio operator and there was a large collection of commercial and ham repeaters and towers there at the house. I should have some old slides somewhere.

Jon... sorry, I should have elaborated. I meant shooting the night sky.

The last image you just posted is super.

The pano is my favourite, all great shots though Jon......

Gary, you can see what's left of the house here I might have picked up the part about the restaurant on Wikipedia, though it may have been elsewhere too.

Thanks Victor!

No need to appologise Gene, and thanks again!

Based on the shots above, you would think it couldn't get any better. Well, you'd be wrong. Just before sunrise, a couple came up with their acoustic instruments sat down on our focal point rock and began serenading us during the sunrise. They kept getting up and apologizing for being in the shot and I kept telling them to sit back down, and keep playing.... stop apologizing you are the shot!

This is another shot processed multiple ways. This one as an HDR with some blending back of the original exposures. IMO that the pure silhouette of this shot is the best version, but since this is the HDR thread here's the blend:

Saved the best for last eh?
The last 2 shots are really great.....the sky and stone wall are super in the one above the musicians and the composition and mood for the last. Early morning shots are worth it apparently.

J-Blake wrote in post #13030270
Gary, you can see what's left of the house here I might have picked up the part about the restaurant on Wikipedia, though it may have been elsewhere too.

Thanks Victor!

When I saw that, I had to go back and check. Old age is catching up with me for sure. It wasn't Mt Evans! I thought something was wrong when you said it was one of the 14ers. I was talking about Squaw Mtn (11,486'). Color me embarassed. Sorry about that. Now, you've got me interested in going up Evans. I've never been there. By the way, Squaw should be somewhere between you and Denver when standing up there.