Walden, Colorado Photos

“X Shot” Information

Camera - Canon EOS Mark III

ISO - 400

Lens - Canon 500 mm

F/stop - 4.0

Shutter - 1600

I visited Walden, CO during the summer to photograph moose and anything else that caught my eye. Arriving midday, I first checked out the Arapaho National

Wildlife Refuge. This time of the day was not the best for spotting moose, like most wildlife, evenings and mornings are more productive.  So I went into town and stopped at a cafe, asking about moose sightings. The cashier said somebody saw moose that morning at North Michigan Creek Reservoir, not far from Walden. Arriving at my destination around 5 pm, I started my moose search.  I came up empty but did get some nice shots of people fishing on the lake at sundown. I went back to my motel and spoke to the clerk, who informed me that she had seen a family of moose, back at the wildlife refuge that morning. After getting a detailed location of the sighting, I went to bed thinking that I had a good chance of reaching my goal in the morning. Arriving at that location before sunrise, I prepared my self for the shoot. Even though it was warm, I dressed in long pants, long sleeve shirt and a hat. Then I covered myself with bug spray because the area was near a lot of water and the mosquitos would be awful. I found the bridge she told me about the night before and  within minutes the family of moose were spotted. All I had brought was my 500 mm lens on my MarK III. Moose stay a good distance away and I figured using this lens would keep me safe. I shot the adult moose for awhile and then I noticed a youngster sitting in the shade of a tree. I knew this was my “X Shot” and fired away. After I finished and headed toward my Jeep,I noticed the bull moose was now between me and the bridge, my way out. I edged toward the moose hoping he would take off, but he raised his head and made a loud noise. My plans changed quickly and I retreated to wait for the family to move away from my exit.  After checking several times they were finally gone. Back in my truck, I viewed the images and liked what I saw. My trip was a success and I headed to my home in Evergreen.

“X Shot” Location Information

1. Drive Time from Denver to Walden, about 3 hrs.

2. I took I-70 west to the exit for Empire, hwy 40, north to

    Granby. Hwy 125 north out of Granby toward

    Walden. The Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge is

    south of Walden.

3. Mornings and evenings are the best time to spot

    moose.

Ken Papaleo
Colorado Photographer

Pawnee National Grassland Photos - near Greeley, Colorado

“X Shot” Information

Camera - Canon EOS Mark III

ISO - 800

Lens - Canon 24 - 70 zoom

F/stop - 2.8

Shutter - 1/20 sec.

  It had been over five years since I visited the Pawnee National Grasslands when fellow photographer, Dennis Schroeder and I were on our way. The Grasslands are 90 miles northeast of Denver. We first stopped at the Pawnee National Grasslands HQ in Greeley to get a map and information on the area. The Grasslands are about 40 minutes from Greeley, so we headed north on Hwy. 85 looking for Hwy. 14.  Somehow we missed it and ended near Wyoming. The Grasslands are huge, consisting of 93,060 acres intermixed with private land. We decided to turn east on 122, a dirt road, heading towards the Pawnee Buttes. We wanted to arrive with about two hours of sun left. The Grasslands were very dry and dusty with a slight breeze blowing. Stopping at a number of locations to shoot, we had to keep upwind of  passing traffic to avoid severely dusted camera equipment, especially when big rigs filled with hay flew by.  We first noticed one of the buttes jutting over the eastern horizon as we stopped to shot an old windmill. Little did we know that the rest of our shoot was going to be filled with windmills. Coming up over a hill, we saw that a huge wind farm had been built to the north of the buttes. It certainly changed our plans. The farm was massive and we quickly made it our main target. We drove to a number of different locations, taking shots as the sun set. Some windmills were so near to the side of the road, you could hear the sound of the blades whirling through the air. By the end of the shoot we were on tripods with cable releases doing low light work. We finally lost all light, put our gear back in my jeep and headed back on the dirt roads. After about 20 minutes we hit a paved road and headed south. Immediately we heard something banging on my side of the car and stopped to check it out. I found my cable release, still connected to my camera, had been hanging out of my door bouncing on the road all that time. After getting home I tested the release and to my surprise it still worked! Another great trip!

“X Shot”  Location Information

1. Drive Time from Denver to Grasslands - 2  hrs.

2. Take hwy. 85 north out of Greeley.

     In Ault, go east on hwy. 14 for 40 miles, to Reymer,

     turn left on dirt road 129, that takes you in.

3. Make sure you stop at the office in Greeley, 660 “O”

    Street, to get a map and information.

4. Bring food, water,extra clothing and a cell phone, there

    isn’t much out there.

5. Make sure you check the weather before going.

Ken Papaleo
Colorado Photographer

Pike's Peak Photos - near Colorado Springs, Colorado

“X Shot” Information

Camera - Canon EOS Mark III

ISO - 400

Lens - Canon 70 -200 zoom

F/stop - 7.1

Shutter - 1/1000 sec.

  Pike’s Peak is known as “America’s Mountain” and has over half a million visitors a year, making it the most visited mountain in North America. The song “America the Beautiful”, by Katharine Lee Bates was inspired in part by this mountain. To get to the top take either Pike’s Peak Cog Railway or drive the 19 miles on Pike’s Peak Hwy. I drove. It was cold and rainy when I reached the summit. Looking down, you could see the storms moving into the area from the 14,110 foot peak. Visitors arriving on the cog railroad spent a very limited time shopping and visiting the area before having to leave. It was a beautiful place but what I found most interesting were the crazy poses people took for pictures. I used my 70 -200 zoom to take  pictures of the very strange behavior of these visitors. After spending most of the afternoon shooting, in the poor weather, I began my drive down looking for a good location to get an overall shot of the  mountain. I finally found it on my way home, looking southeast from Woodland Park. The sky began to clear giving me a clean shot the of the Peak

“X Shot” Location Information

1. Drive time from Denver to top of Pike’s Peak- 3 hrs.

2. Exit form I-25 at the State Route 24, in Colorado

    Springs. Go west on 24 to Cascade, look for Pikes

    Peak sign.

3. Bring warm clothing.

Ken Papaleo
Colorado Photographer

Great Sand Dunes National Park Photos - near Alamosa, Colorado

“X Shot” Information

Camera - Canon EOS Mark III

ISO - 250

Lens - Canon 16 - 35 zoom

F/stop - 16.0

Shutter - 1/125 sec.

I have always enjoyed driving on State Route 17, due south, strait as a nail and cruise-control all the way. Turning east on County Lane 6 North, I could see the Great Sand Dunes National Park ahead. The park is nestled against the Sangre de Cristo Mountains boasting the tallest dunes in North America, some almost 800 feet high. When I got out of my jeep it was too windy to take any chances with my camera gear, so I had some lunch and read part of a book. When the winds became still, hours later, I set out towards the dunes. I took a Canon 5D with a 16 - 24 zoom and my Mark III with a 70-200 zoom and some extra flash cards. The evening light was perfect as the sun started its decent.  I saw great color and enjoyed shooting, until the sun disappeared behind the western horizon. I spent the night in Alamosa and returned the next morning by 6:30 am to catch the first rays of sunrise. One thing I forgot is the park’s proximity to the  mountains on its eastern side; sunrise wasn’t until about 8 am. Taking the same gear as I did yesterday, I climbed about half way up, found a spot and waited for the sun.  I hoped that other visitors would be arriving soon for use in my photos but it remained deserted. Without people, I noticed how peaceful it was, not a sound . As I walked around, my shadow made some interesting images so I used it to make a couple of nice pictures. By 9:30 am I was on my way home because I didn’t like the limited morning light at this time of the year. So if you visit in the fall, I would recommend shooting in the late afternoon and early evening light when there is more time.

“X Shot” Location Information.

1. Drive time, Denver to Dunes 3 Hours.

2. Exit off of State Route 17, just north of Mosca, on

    6 North Lane, going west, or take 150 north from 160.

3. Lodging in Alamosa.

Ken Papaleo
Colorado Photographer

Mount Evans Photos - near Idaho Springs, Colorado

 “X Shot” Information

Camera - Canon EOS Mark III

ISO - 100

Lens - Canon 70 - 200 zoom

F/stop - 2.8

Shutter - 1/500 sec.

 On a warm sunny afternoon, in late-August, fellow photographer, Dennis Schroeder and I headed up Mt. Evans for a photo shoot. After paying the $10 dollar access fee, we took a slow drive up the highest paved road in North America, to the top of Mount Evans right around 14,000 feet. We were trying to locate the herds of Rocky Mountain Big Horn Sheep and Mountain Goats. The goats were spotted first along the road. These critters are extraordinary climbers and can run 30 mph. I pulled over on what edge of road there was with a 1000 foot drop on Schroeder’s side; he didn’t like that! We went out and shot for about 20 minutes and then continued our ride up. The Mountain Goats weren’t too far away and by this time the sun was getting lower and the  road began to glow. Again we pulled over in a real parking spot this time and were able to capture some nice images.

  Reaching the top we took a break and then headed back down the eastern facing mountain. I stopped at the shadow/sun line and turned around, finding a group Mountain Goats. We photographed them as they followed the receding sun up the mountain. Driving ahead of them, we could get out and shoot then jump back in the jeep. They were working their way up the switch backs and we would catch them at the turns. This continued until they reached a warm western piece of real-estate near the top. Their white coats would glow as they looked for a place to settle in for the night. Just as the sun set I found my “X-Shot”! Two goats set down on a grassy section of ground while the almost horizontal low light started to set behind the lower mountains. I used my Canon 70-200 zoom lens on my Mark III. By using an f/stop of 2.8, I was able to make them stand out, separating them from both the foreground and background. Once the light disappeared we found a spot to park and watched a  spectacular sunset as we ate our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

“X Shot” Location Information.

1. Drive time, Denver to top of Mt Evans, about 2 hrs.

2. Exit, off I-70, at State Route 103, for Mt Evans, in

    Idaho Springs.

3. At Echo Lake, you will turn on State Route 5, up to the

    summit.

4.  MT. EVANS IS NOW CLOSED FOR THE WINTER.

Ken Papaleo
Colorado Photographer

Dallas Divide Photos - near Ridgway, Colorado

“X Shot” Information

Camera - Canon EOS Mark III

ISO - 400

Lens - Canon 70 - 200 zoom

F/stop - 20

Shutter - 1/160 sec.

 I injured my arm in a skiing accident last December and never took another photo for the Rocky Mountain News before it closed last spring. My 35 year career in photojournalism came to an end and I didn’t like it. I wasn’t able to start shooting again until the summer, 6 months after the accident. To stay in photography, I promised myself that I would go out once a week to a special location in Colorado for a photo shoot. After a number of trips, I decided to produce a weekly blog (designed by my son, Jordan Papaleo) about my adventures and call it “X Marks the Shot”. After each shoot, I would pick my favorite image (the X photo) and run it big, along with other images running in a photo page format including information about the trip. The Dallas Divide in the fall would be my first blog. I would follow it with a couple more blogs that I shot this summer. After catching up, I plan on posting weekly photographs.

  The second week in October I headed southwest for a trip to the Dallas Divide. I found a place to stay in Ridgway, which is a good home base and then got a back road map of the area. National Geographic puts out great maps for regions in the state. I found three roads that I wanted to check out that afternoon for good shooting locations in the evening and the next morning. Hopefully, the low light would cooperate.

  As I drove around I noticed the Aspens were past their peak and clouds were moving in. Finding my spot for the evening shoot on Dallas Creek Road, I waited for the evening light. As the sunset approached, an occasional shaft of light broke through the clouds making some nice images, but I never got a good sky.

  Early the next morning I was out on West Dallas Creek Road, at a location I found the day before. Again there was a lot of cloud cover with some light passing through.

  I was pleased with my shoot but realized that I didn’t catch the Dallas Divide at its best. I will be back next fall to give it another go!

“X Shot” location information!

1. Drive time to Ridgway, from Denver Colorado, 6 hrs.

2. Ridgway, located at the intersection of Hwys 550 & 62.

3. Roads I recommend you check out:

                      A) Dallas Creek Road (dirt - dead end)

                      B) West Dallas Creek Road (dirt-dead end)

                      C) Last Dollar Road (dirt-to Hwy145)

Ken Papaleo
Colorado Photographer

Colorado Wild Flowers Photos

“X Shot” Information

Camera - Canon EOS Mark III

ISO - 200

Lens - Canon 500 mm

F/stop - 4.0

Shutter - 1/800

 After my accident, I decided to make Colorado’s wildflowers my first project. I had shot them for the Rocky Mountain News for years, but never for myself. Dallas Divide and Shrine Pass were the locations I picked for my adventure. I drove first to the divide in mid-June. I arrived in the late afternoon. Upon pulling into West Dallas Creek Road, I found a spot to pull over, stopped and ate my bag lunch. It’s always a good idea to bring food and drink with you when you drive into the back country. The weather was cloudy with thunderstorms moving through the area. The sun would not set until about 8 pm, so I waited for a couple of hours (big lunch) before heading out to shoot. Lupine were in plenty and some Wild Iris but not much else. I headed in toward the mountains on the dirt road. The sky cleared some leaving white puffy clouds. I used my macro and wide angle as I worked the flowers. I found nice groups of flowers but never a large field of full color. As evening approached, clouds moved in again quickly taking away all the epic light. I was counting on that light for my best work but now that was gone. I decided to use an off camera strobe to create dynamic lighting on the Lupine and liked the results. I awoke early the next morning to the sound of rain and thunder. A front had moved in and wasn’t going anywhere, so I left for home.
  The following week I went to Shrine Pass at the top of Vail Pass, with my best friend Dennis Schroeder. Schroeder was also a photographer for the Rocky Mountain News. We arrived around 3 pm and started to shoot. It was a sunny day and this time I made a better effort at shooting something when I saw it! To make it interesting, Dennis and I decided that I would shoot long glass and he would only use wide angle. This is a fun way to work with another photographer. You really get a different look at an area this way. I decided to just use my Canon 500 on a Canon Mark III with mono pod. I had used my 500 before and knew I could use it like a macro lens, well almost. By shooting my big glass at an f/stop of 4.5 and getting to the point where the focus is as close as possible to the subject, I then can isolate it from any background. This is how I captured my “X SHOT”.
  Another good tip for shooting wildflowers is to try to shoot them backlit as this makes them really glow. Remember, you might have to provide shade for your lens to prevent lens flare. We were having a great time and it was very quite, just the sounds of our cameras. As we were capturing the beauty before us, a quad came racing up the dirt road. We both turned and shot the backlit, dusty vehicle as it approached. It turned out to be a nice shot. Sunset was near and we waited at a spot on a trail to give us a good view of the Ten Mile Range. The sunset was nice but not great. As the sky turned black, we headed back to our homes in Evergreen. It was a good shoot.

“X Shot” Location Information

1. Drive time from Denver, 2 hrs.

2. Take I-70 too top of Vail Pass.

3. Get off at the rest-stop exit.

4. Look for dirt road, Shrine Pass.

5. Shrine Pass goes through to US 24, near Red Cliff

Ken Papaleo
Colorado Nature Photographer