WINTER LANDSCAPES

Lichen Rocks and Heavy Frost

Taken at the summit of Wilkerson Pass, Colorado near Buena Vista.

Sunrise at the Garden of the Gods

As the sun rose above the horizon, the trees between the north and south Gateway Rocks lit up as the sun's rays filtered through.

One Seed Juniper in the Garden

The juniper trees in the Garden of the Gods Park live to be hundreds of years old. Similar to the Bristlecone Pine, they are grayish in color but continue to grow branches and leaves.

South Gateway Rock, Garden of the Gods Park

This park, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been rated the most popular park in the country. Photographers love it for the many variations of red sandstone rock formations, the ancient juniper trees, and views of Pikes Peak. It's also inside Colorado Springs city limits.

Frosted Juniper and the Kissing Camels

Almost like a heart, the arching branches of the frosted juniper trees frame the Kissing Camels Rock in the Garden of the Gods.

Gliding Raven at the Summit of Wilkerson Pass

There's a serene calmness that accompanies freshly fallen snow or heavy frost that appears after a cold, cloudy night. The silence of a black raven gliding through the trees brings life to the beauty of it all.

Winter Maze

Where sunshine and gravity haven't yet released the fresh fallen snow, brown tree branches provide contrast and definition to the dense maze of trees in this local park.

Gliding Raven

The raven adds movement to what seems like sculpted trees and bushes laden with a hoar frost at the summit rest stop area of Wilkerson Pass.

Siamese Twins Rocks

Many rock formations in the Garden of the Gods Park have been given names based on their shapes. The rocks at the left of this image appear to be twins joined at the bottom. Pikes Peak is covered by clouds in the distance.

Blue Pathway

Like the sky, the shadows on this snowy landscape reflect as a blue color stretching the shadow of a tree and its branches along the pathway near Sinton Pond.

Winter in the Garden Park

One of the advantages of living close to where you photograph landscapes, is that you can see the same subjects in every season of the year.

Snowflake Tree Branches

Only the dark tree branches reveal where the new snow has landed. Without them, everything would be white.

Shooks Run Creek

This park is near where I live in Colorado Springs. In this image, the sun had just peeked through the cloudy sky, lighting up the middle portion of this scene.

Heavy Spring Snow on Tiny Branches

I could almost touch the branches as the wet snow weighted the small branches downward, creating an ornament for the tree.

Ducks on Shooks Run Creek

I zoomed my lens to telephoto for this shot of ducks meandering down the stream, looking for food. One of them, the female, dipped her head in the water looking for fish.

Bridge Over Shooks Run

The pedestrian bridge and artwork below it add more color to this wintry landscape scene.

All Dressed up for a Stroll Up the Creek

I followed these two ducks as they continued to wade up the stream, not wanting to fly.

Winter Garden from Mesa

The white snow of this winter landscape allows for a beautiful contrast with the red rocks and yellow/green yucca plants.

Baby Pine Tree

This tree, only about 3 to 4 feet tall, was spotted overladen with snow in the Bear Creek Road area of Colorado Springs, Co.

Bear Creek Walk Bridge

Bear Creek is located off 26th St./Bear Creek Rd. in Colorado Springs, Co. This image was taken south of Bear Creek Nature Center off Bear Creek Road. A beautiful trail leads into the woods.

Trail Through The Pines

Bear Creek south trail, off Bear Creek Rd., Colorado Springs, Co.

Frosty Path in the Garden

Heavy hoar frost covers everything in the Garden of the Gods.

Distant Red Rocks and Heavy Frost

Hoar frost in the Garden of the Gods covers each blade of grass in this winter landscape.

Frosty path to the Gateway Rocks of the Garden of the Gods Park in Colorado Springs, Co.

Every type of foliage lends its own shade of frost in this image taken in the Garden of the Gods Park.