Certainly, one of the best parts about living in the Rockies is witnessing the exciting and dramatic change between seasons! While there’s definitely a case to be made for them all, it is pretty tough to beat an autumn color change that goes off properly. For best results, the trees require ample summer rainfall, and as few surprises as possible as things cool down—an ill-timed heavy snow, for example, can cause the leaves to simply fall off of the trees prematurely.

Thankfully, 2021 was poised to deliver on these conditions, as I packed up my gear and headed to several locations I’d scouted the weeks prior. Of all the areas I’d looked at, from Gunnison to Steamboat Springs and everywhere in-between, the Anthrocite and Ragged Mountains were in my crosshairs—they’d gotten plenty of rain during the late summer months, and the temperatures slowly tapered off in lockstep with the shortening daylight hours— prepping the deciduous groves for rich color. 

Starting on Kebler Pass west of Crested Butte, I could barely believe my eyes! The colors were too good to be true. The lighting conditions were also perfect: cloudy enough to add moodiness to each scene, with patches of intense sunlight creeping through to really draw attention to specific areas.

After wandering around different trails and groves, I spotted this composition and still marvel every time I look at it. An area of dense clouds had just moved through the area, providing a dramatic backdrop, as the Sun lit up Ruby Peak, standing guard over these groves of Aspen and Pine, basking in pride below. I grabbed a telephoto lens and set up for the shot as quickly as I could, as to not give the Sun an opportunity to hide in the clouds again. I just can’t get over vibrance of these trees with the ocean-blue backdrop adorning “Ruby Peak.”