Tag: books

Climbing the Manitou Incline 2025

Manitou Incline

On a rare occasion people do come to visit me, and often it's because they want to climb the Manitou Incline. There may come a day when my old legs will no longer carry me up the 2700 rugged steps over the old cog railway that takes one to 8500 feet in elevation in just one mile of near verticle climbing, but on this day I was willing to give it one more try. Even though the previous sentence may have set a record for word count, last weekend's climb to the summit did not 😦

War on Wildlife – Episode Two

Blonde Model

I'm pleased to announce that Episode Two - Moonlight Dance is now available to read on my substack in the War on Wildlife section. In this episode my readers will follow Angie as she struggles to restart her career following the pandemic and the election of a new presidential administration.

Quiet Has Returned

Herd of Doe Mule Deer

Quiet has returned to the mountains. The labor day holiday has marked the unofficial end of summer and thousands of tourists with their RV's and trailers have headed back east to their homes on the great American flatlands. Wildlife are tentatively returning to their favorite feeding grounds, and they didn't seem to worried about a lone photographer. In fact they seemed to recognize me from the quiet months I spent with them, prior to the summer invasion.

End of Summer in the Canyon

Colorado Osprey

Summer isn't giving up yet in Eleven Mile Canyon, or probably anywhere in the Colorado high country. Osprey and great blue heron, and even a bald eagle were enjoying the morning along the rich fishing waters of the South Platte River, and many took the time to stop and pose for our cameras on Friday.

Photographing Great Blue Heron in the Canyon

Great Blue Heron

Action with the great birds in Eleven Mile Canyon got off to a slow start on Friday morning. Crowds of fishermen arrived early, filling the canyon with dust, and scaring away the birds. As we were repeatedly passed by anglers from the city roaring up the canyon, we knew our morning was going to be limited.

Surprise on the Trail

Many mornings as I sip my coffee, I try to think of locations where I might find new adventure and capture amazing scenes that I haven't yet experienced. Most of the time nothing comes to mind, and I just head out to my nearby trail for some exercise. However, I'm also often astonished at the surprising experiences I encounter there.

Going Analog

I finally acquired the last piece of gear required to do my own analog film and slide scans. With the addition of a Canon 100mm macro lens, I finally have everything I need to do the conversion.

Joy in the Canyon

Colorado Osprey

I love this time of year in the canyon. Young wildlife is past the newborn stage and are just now experiencing the joy of their new legs and wings. Young osprey are especially excited about their newfound powers and unlike their more mature parents, they spend much of their day in flight. They don't realize it yet, but their games are preparing them for a 4000 mile journey that will begin in about a month.

Witnessing Osprey Chicks Take Flight: A Photographer’s Journey

Osprey at Eleven Mile Canyon

A sure sign of the advancing season is the arrival of juvenile osprey to the canyon. Each spring our osprey nesting pair returns to mate and raise a new family of chicks. They travel thousands of miles from their winter vacation to meet at the same nest and greet their lifelong partner for the joyous event. As August nears, their young gain stength and skill and finally take flight in a burst of energy, hope and a bit courage too I imagine.