Bear Lake and a red aspen tree, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. This grove seems to turn early, usually by the end of the third week of September.

Maroon Bells and Crater Lake on a rainy day in late September, 2007. There were a lot of sad photographers down by Maroon Lake on this morning, waiting for clear skies that just weren't going to come. I went for a hike in the rain instead, enjoying the soft white light and the extra dose of majesty that clouds give the high peaks. I like the view here, where the trail drops from a ridge down to Crater Lake (with apologies to Oregonians). I have a huge print of this in my family room at home.

A cottonwood tree along the Arkansas river, just east of Texas Creek, Colorado (three states, in such a small area!)

Sky Pond, Rocky Mountain National Park, in early September 2006. It was a rather blustery day, which made for cold fingers but also very little traffic on the trail.

Changing aspens and red mountains at sunset, shot from Trout Lake, Colorado

Maroon Bells through a window in the aspen trees.

The hillsides in the fog at Mount Rainier show their changing colors in autumn

A trailside view of the Great Sand Dunes in autumn.

Autumn at the dunes in black and white

The changing leaves of a blueberry bush in Alaska, mid-August 2009. Though this was one of the first bushes to turn, fall certainly comes early that far north.

An aspen leaf on a mossy log

Aspen leaves along Lime Creek Road

Hay bales along CO-14, near Walden

An old barn and a changing tree near Westcliffe, Colorado. The dark rainclouds in the background had just spent the last hour or so passing by. I'm glad I waited! Got some very dramatic light on the barn.

Wind-whipped aspens and the moon in a grove near the Bierstadt Lake Trailhead, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.

Sunset at Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado

Mt. Sneffels and turning aspens along County Road 5 near Ridgway, Colorado. My brother called this an "inverse sunset", with strong light on the foreground and the background in shadow.

The remains of a settler's cabin in Poudre Canyon, along CO-14

Maroon Bells in September, 2008

Maroon Bells in September, 2008

An old house south of Westcliffe, Colorado on the road towards Music Pass. Had to wait for the thunderstorm to pass before getting this shot, and got some rather dramatic light as a result.

Scout Lake, Colorado, early October 2009. Apparently, this is the 5th largest beaver pond in Colorado. As I camped out here the night before, I was awakened every so often by a loud "thwack" of a beaver tail on the water. By morning, the temperature was just 5F and most of the pond had frozen. No more thwacking.

A turning oak leaf near Ridgway, Colorado. It's cool when you catch leaves "halfway" like this.

A multicolored autumn hillside on the way to Moonshine Park, near Ridgway, Colorado