“X Shot” Information
Camera - Canon- EOS Mark III
ISO - 100
Lens - Canon- 16 - 35 zoom
F/stop - 18
Shutter - 1/100 sec
Rifle Mountain Park is well know for its rock climbing in the non-winter months and has visitors from all over the world who want to try the 250 bolted climbing routes. This being January, I decided to see what the park looked like in the dead of winter. Arriving around 7 am just before sunrise, large ice falls could be seen on the steep canyon walls. The snow on top of the canyon would melt from the sun and in some places run down the walls, freezing again, forming beautiful ice falls in front of Rifle Creek. Due to the steepness of the walls, it would be a number of hours before the sunlight would start to fall into the canyon. Being still early enough to look for wildlife, I put a 300 mm lens on my Mark III and preset the exposure with a fast shutter speed and headed up the canyon. It wasn’t long before coming upon some wild turkeys. Having my windows already down and my camera ready, I was able to get off some shots before they quickly disappeared. Driving along the creek, hunks of ice could be seen forming on branches that hung just above the water. Using a 500 mm lens on a tripod put me close. Using a slow shutter speed, the water became blurred leaving the ice sculpture standing alone. Around 10:30 am the light started its decent into the canyon. Bright green spring-like algae growing in certain pools of water caught my eye. It made a nice contrast with the cold, white snow. A small animal’s tracks left in untouched powder made another nice image. Moving along at a good pace, a few more pictures were recorded. Within three hours the light was gone. The park was very quite and peaceful this time of the year, not seeing anyone during my visit. It might be interesting to come back during the summer. Rifle Mountain Park is one of those places that you can’t go wrong, no matter when you visit.
“X Shot” Location Information
1. Drive time from Denver to Rifle about 3 hours.
2. Exit I-70 at the Rifle/Hwy 13 exit. North out of town
on 13 until you come to country road 325, turn right.
Follow 325 over the dam and continue until you
come to the Rifle Fish Hatchery. Road will turn to
gravel, park starts just down the road from there.
3. There is a park fee that you pay at the entrance.
4. Good gravel road, gets narrow for a short distance.
5. Sunlight hits canyon walls from around 10:30 am to
1:30 pm
Ken Papaleo
Colorado Photography
All photographs for sale, contact e-mail address below
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