2013
Seen from 8,000′ on the western side of Santa Fe Mountain are wonderful, if partially-obstructed, sunset views — 30 miles across the Rio Grande Valley to the Jemez Mountain range, which roughly parallels the Sangre Christo Mountain range.
Together, these two parallel mountain ranges comprise the southernmost arm of the Rocky Mountains. Elevations gradually descend into lesser mountain groups below Santa Fe.
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2013
Returning to New Mexico and the splendid variation of topography along its eastern edge, offering spectacular views of its high desert scenery.
North of Santa Fe, 70 miles along the east side of the Rio Grande, lies the western base of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. With a year-round population of nearly 6,000, Taos’ population expands considerably during the winter, as the excellent skiing in Taos is often compared to Jackson Hole.
Taos sits on the eastern edge of the Taos plateau at an elevation of 7,000′, while the mountains further west above Taos soar to 11,000–12,000′.
2003
Early one winter morning 15 years ago, driving up Santa Fe Mountain amongst the extensive aspen stands, I rounded a curve to glimpse out of the corner of my eye something I couldn’t believe: slamming on the brakes, I sat looking at a ‟snow spiral” that had formed on a steep slope; after a much closer look, it was obvious to me that it had formed all on it’s own, without any external force other than snow and wind on a steep slope…
Once convinced it had formed naturally, and having never before seen seen anything like it, I spent the next thirty minutes or so capturing it.
Nor have I have seen anything like it since…
Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!
2018
Now winter — the Aspen leaves all gone — the rapidly fading sunlight settles so, so briefly on the fading Aspen forest of trunks before disappearing too, into the night…
2018
With 99% of the leaves above 8,000′ elevation having fallen, only the tall, straight, thin trunks of Santa Fe Mountain’s vast aspen groves remain standing — an array of soft taupe-to-white-to-tan vertical paint strokes — occasionally punctuated by an aberrant leaf’s muted yellow accent and backed by soft, scattered evergreens.
The subtlety and depth of these enormous, deep stands of such wondrously soft colors, all in perfect order, defies imagination…
2018
Still up on top of Santa Fe Mountain, as Autumn temperatures continue dropping, the aspen leaves achieve their spectacular golden yellow peak just as their tall, slender stems take on a contrasting palette of various shades of a grey-to-taupe.
By adding further contrast with my camera strokes, I’m able to blend these elements and colors, backed by the intermingling evergreens.
2018
As the temperature drops above 8,000′ elevation in early autumn, the aspen’s leaves commence turning — initially from green to bright yellow, through various hues of gold and lastly to surprising shades of orange — while the tall, slender and graceful trunks subtly shift from white to taupe.
Just north of Santa Fe, along the western edge of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range among Santa Fe Mountain’s extensive aspen stands, most of the groves begin their turn dramatically at the same time. Others change at a different pace, depending on their particular exposure to sun and wind.
These out-of-sync aspen turns are invariably more muted, with the leaves’ change often blending closely with their trunks — creating quiet, blended tapestries that are contrasted against nearby evergreens.
Overlaying these quiet forest tapestries with minimal camera strokes enables me to achieve the antidote to my lifetime preoccupation to control time. It’s no accident that my landscapes convey the serenity I have always sought in my own life…
2018
Every mid-September to mid-October, as the temperature begins dropping, aspen leaves — beginning above 8,000′ elevation on many western mountains — turn from green to bright yellow, then gold, and finally to various shades of orange, while the tall, slender, graceful trunks subtly shift from white to taupe-to-cream.
Santa Fe Mountain, immediately north of Santa Fe, and on the western side of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range, is one of those western mountains blessed with large aspen groves.
The ten mile drive from Santa Fe’s central square up Santa Fe’s ski mountain provides nearly continuous visual access to its many aspen groves. In fact, during early fall, it has become an annual ‘right of passage’ for residents, as well as many visitors, to go up Santa Fe mountain to see and photograph the Aspen Turning.
Having been traveling a lot during fall months, I’ve missed this early fall pilgrimage for the past 5-6 years. But this year I am remaining here in Santa Fe, and I have promised myself to spend time up on Santa Fe Mountain every possible day I can.
And, in turn, to devote the next 7 blogs — through the end of the year — to my various interpretations of ASPEN TURNING…
2012
Fifty miles north of Albuquerque, just north of the junction of U.S. #550 & NM #4, begins the Southern end of the Jemez Mountain Range, which roughly parallels the North-South Sangre de Cristo Mountains 20 miles further east.
Between these mountain ranges lies the Río Grande Rift, into which all surrounding runoff flows, creating the Rio Grande River that originates in the San Juan Mountains in southern Colorado and flows all the way south across the Mexican border.
The small town of San Ysidro is situated at the southern end of the Jemez Mountains, where the Jemez river flows south from the Valles Caldera, joining the Río Grande about half-way to Albuquerque.
San Ysidro is the intersection of four significant geologic features: the Colorado Plateau to the west, the 75 million-year-old Sierra Nacimiento uplift to the north, the Río Grande rift to the east, and the northeast-trending Sierra Jemez lineament, characterized by its young volcanism cutting across all three geologic provinces. The 15 million-year-old Jemez volcanic field is visible to the northeast; the 2 to 3 million-year-old Cabezon Peak is located just to the west. 3.3 million-year-old Mt. Taylor can be seen on the skyline to the west. The surrounding hills are covered with sedimentary red to green siltstones and mudstones, similar to the Painted Desert’s petrified forest Chinle group, deposited on the floodplain of a large west-to-northwest river system some 210 million years ago.
In addition to the red and green stone from the petrified forest, San Ysidro has numerous interesting anticlines and synclines — reflecting the movement of earth structures formed by geological folding.
2018
The Zuni Mountain Range — approximately 60 miles long by 40 miles wide — is situated in western New Mexico just south of I-40 between Gallup and Grants, about 85 miles west of ABQ, within the Cibola National Forest. The highest point in the Zuni Mountains is 9,256′ Mount Sedgewick, with elevations within the range going down to 6,400′.
The Zuni Mountains are surrounded by the Zuni Indian Reservation, the Ramah Navajo Indian Reservation, and El Morro National Monument to the southwest, El Malpais National Monument to the southwest
The Zuni Mountains are part of the ancestral Rocky Mountains from the Pennsylvania epoch, sit on the Continental Divide, and form the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau.
2011
Within the Sangre de Christo mountain range, 25 miles north of Santa Fe, are situated the Truchas Peaks (Spanish for “trout”). This range of four summits include the 13,102′ South Truchas Peak – the second highest peak in New Mexico – and the 13,024′ North Truchas Peak.
The birth of the Sangre de Cristos Mountains — the southernmost subrange of the Rockies — occurred 80 million years ago as the Farrallon Plate slid under the North American Plate at such a shallow angle that it formed a wider belt of north-south mountains, resulting in a broader region of lower mountains farther inland.
During the succeeding 60 million years, erosion stripped away the high rocks to reveal the ancestral rocks beneath that have since been eroded by water and glaciers, sculpting the mountains into more dramatic peaks and valleys.
Shooting east during late afternoon light, while simultaneously stroking my camera south, enabled me to intensify the texture of these north-south trending subranges of the Truchas Peaks
The fourth and final set of Truchas Peaks images, each resulting once again from single exposure camera pans, as I blend the varying textures with the constantly changing light.
2011
Within the Sangre de Christo mountain range, 25 miles north of Santa Fe, are situated the Truchas Peaks (Spanish for “trout”). This range of four summits include the 13,102′ South Truchas Peak – the second highest peak in New Mexico – and the 13,024′ North Truchas Peak.
The birth of the Sangre de Cristos Mountains — the southernmost subrange of the Rockies — occurred 80 million years ago as the Farrallon Plate slid under the North American Plate at such a shallow angle that it formed a wider belt of north-south mountains, resulting in a broader region of lower mountains farther inland.
During the succeeding 60 million years, erosion stripped away the high rocks to reveal the ancestral rocks beneath that have since been eroded by water and glaciers, sculpting the mountains into more dramatic peaks and valleys.
Shooting east during late afternoon light, while simultaneously stroking my camera south, enabled me to intensify the texture of these north-south trending subranges of the Truchas Peaks.
My third continuation of six images — each being a single exposure — by panning these magnificent Peaks at different speeds and at varying angles, and, of course, with varying light.
2011
Within the Sangre de Christo mountain range, 25 miles north of Santa Fe, are situated the Truchas Peaks (Spanish for “trout”). This range of four summits include the 13,102′ South Truchas Peak – the second highest peak in New Mexico – and the 13,024′ North Truchas Peak.
The birth of the Sangre de Cristos Mountains — the southernmost subrange of the Rockies — occurred 80 million years ago as the Farrallon Plate slid under the North American Plate at such a shallow angle that it formed a wider belt of north-south mountains, resulting in a broader region of lower mountains farther inland.
During the succeeding 60 million years, erosion stripped away the high rocks to reveal the ancestral rocks beneath that have since been eroded by water and glaciers, sculpting the mountains into more dramatic peaks and valleys.
Shooting east during late afternoon light, while simultaneously stroking my camera south, enabled me to intensify the texture of these north-south trending subranges of the Truchas Peaks.
2011
Twenty five miles northeast of Santa Fe, within the Sangre de Cristo Mountain range are a range of four identifiable summits. Truchas Peaks (Spanish for “trout”) encompass a north-south trending subrange of identifiable summits, which includes the 13,102′ South Truchas Peak — the second highest independent peak in New Mexico, as well as the 13,024′ North Truchas Peak.
The birth of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the southernmost subrange of the Rockies, began 80 million years ago when the Farallon Plate slid under the North American Plate at such a shallow subduction, it created a broad belt of mountaIns running south down North America. The low angle moved the focus of crustal melting and mountain building much farther inland than the normal 2-300 miles. Over the past 60 million years, erosion has stripped away the high rocks, revealing the ancestral rocks beneath, which have since been eroded by water and glaciers, sculpting the Rockies into dramatic peaks and valleys.
Being fortunate to capture Truchas Peaks immediately following a first snow in late light, I found this to be one of the more magnificent mountain groups within the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, blending vistas of magnificent peaks together with perfect sky and clouds…
2011
1,500’ lower, the East Face of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains continues a long descent down to the plains. Looking back 20 miles to the west across farms and ranches, the harsh light of the setting sun is blocked first by the Jemez Mountains, then by the western slopes of the Sangres, resulting in the east side appearing much softer.
The climate is also much milder in the eastern lee of the Sangres, due to considerably more precipitation.
2012
During the coldest winter months, the Bosque del Apache’s diurnal rhythms are unbelievably consistent. At very first light the tremendous flocks of Snow Geese begin stirring, before rising in louder and larger groups that nearly blank out the sky, heading for adjoining grain fields to feed for the day; it’s only when no other creature can withstand the deafening din (transfering this bucolic scene into complete chaos), that the 12,000-to-15,000 Sandhills rise in smaller groups to also feed in the adjoining fields.
And then as the setting sun begins dropping behind the near western mountains, the enormous flocks of Snow Geese return, circling the wetlands before settling in for the night, followed more gradually by the larger, more majestic, and quieter Sandhills…
2003
Early one winter morning 14 years ago, shortly after moving to Santa Fe, amidst its wonderful high desert landscape, I was driving up Santa Fe Mountain’s west face to continue my photographic study of its extensive Aspen stands. Upon rounding a sharp curve in the road — I happened upon an astounding and sublime surprise: a “snow spiral” which apparently had formed rolling down the steep slope. Not certain what I glimpsed, I stopped to take a closer look. And having never before seen anything like it, I just had to capture it!
Nor have I ever seen anything like it since…
Enjoy! Merry Christmas
2016
Further south in New Mexico’s high country — returning home to Santa Fe, where I have resided for the last 12 years — restraining my camera stroke enabled me to soften the the texture amongst the brighter colors…
2016
The next day’s weather enabled me to gradually alter the landscape’s texture against cloud movement…
2016
Ah, to be back on the road again, but not having to drive, so I can mesh this wonderful high country with our varying travel speeds, capturing the textured landscape that so speaks to me…
