Travel in Winter

I have become a big fan of winter travel.

Most people and even most photographers seem to travel in summer. Simply put summer is crowded and it is often just to green to be interesting photography. Winter on the other hand.......

For years I would visit Big Bend in February or early March for the desert in bloom. I love that park and that time of year. However after back to back winter trips to Grand Canyon and now Canyonlands I will have a hard time going back to those parks in summer.

Winter is a whole new world.

Not only is visiting them in winter a whole new experience-even the travel to get there is a new experience.

In the days leading up to a winter trip I am constantly checking the weather report not just for potential clouds but also snow that might close a highway.

I even went as far to add the various state departments of transportation phone numbers into my phone so I could call for updated road conditions.

That came in pretty handy when I was making my way toward Wyoming back in October 09 as closed/icy roads had me reroute out to Maroon Bells and toward Craig. See those trips in the Colorado and Wyoming links on the right.
This trip went fine road wise. I even got a chance to make interesting images along the way. That is always a plus for me. Many people only plan a destination, I try to plan routes and times that take me past neat areas.

Here are a few from my drive home after a week in Moab. The top is a view of the Ute Mountains country west of Cortez, Colorado. The overcast ans sometimes snowy day was perfect in my book. Then some irrigation equipment awaiting spring. Finally nothing more than an empty field covered in snow.

You just aint gonna see this in summer. Ahhh winter.