Rio Grande Gorge, Summer Gorgeousness. 07-31-2024

Geraint July 30, 2024 17 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal (Taos), NM. This week the Rio Grande Gorge in its summer finery and gorgeousness.

My hard drives frequently spin as I search for images to print or supply to art directors and clients. This week was no exception. I came up with a few select photos depicting the gorge that divides the plateau between east and west, with views from the rim and canyon, and the expansive vistas that capture the imagination and stir the soul.

If you miss this view below then you are probably asleep and should wake up or you’re driving at night.

Highway 68 and the gorge view — Highway 68 and the Gorge view.

If you prefer to take a detour off the main route you will see the following two locations.

Orilla Verde Rec Area — The Rio Grande in Orilla Verde Recreation Area.

As you ascend a steep dirt road you will encounter this grand view looking south. Remember to engage the parking break.

Gorgeous Sky over the Rio Grande Gorge — Gorgeous Sky.

A short distance on the climb out of the canyon is the Vista Verde Trail. It will take you on a very pleasant hike through lava boulder fields and rocks adorned with indigenous petroglyph art.

… to a bench with an overlook of the Rio Grande.

River View — River view from a nice resting spot.

The west rim trail takes you in a northerly direction on mostly level ground for about 10 miles. You’ll feel the cool breeze as it glances off the canyon walls and catch fabulous 360º sunsets.

Driving the 10 miles, if preferred, will bring you to the high bridge where US Highway 64 crosses the Rio Grande Gorge.

Walking across the bridge looking to the north or south you’ll get wonderful views of the river. Looking east toward the mountains is pretty nice too!

Summer light on the gorge bridge. Straight as an arrow to the mountains.

On the same evening from the bridge, this happened.

Lightning sky over the gorge — Lightning over the gorge.

On another occasion a rainbow over the chasm.

Rainbow and storm, over the gorge — Rainbow and storm over the gorge.

There have been many times I’ve traversed the bridge. It shakes a lot especially when semi-trucks cross it hauling full loads of gravel. Don’t let it prevent you from crossing it yourself, but don’t bother with a tripod. I didn’t.

Lastly, one of my favorite and most popular images was taken on a summer evening from the high bridge in 2009. A horizontal crop is on the cover of my book.

Summer Light, on the Rio Grande Gorge — Summer evening from the high bridge.

I hope you enjoyed the mini travelog this week. Join me on a photo tour/workshop and I’ll show you around these locations.

Last week I made it to the summit of Gold Hill on my two new feet. 9.8 miles round trip and 3263 elevation gain to 12703′ at the summit. My knees were complaining but I wasn’t. We’ll do Wheeler Peak the highest point in NM (13163′) in a couple of weeks for something a little easier.

As always, thank you for looking. I hope you have a good week. G

High Road To Taos, Black And White. 07-24-2024.

Geraint July 23, 2024 12 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal (Taos), NM. This week on the High Road to Taos in black and white.

This week I had the pleasure of taking my friend Larry on a photo tour on the High Road. Conditions proved to be very conducive for black and white photography. Larry was using a Canon R5 with a 24-105mm lens and I used my Sony a6400 with an 18-135mm lens along with my iPhone.

Larry got some great pictures while I enjoyed a day out in his company, sharing new locations he hadn’t seen on previous trips. He also added a Pygmy Nuthatch to his “life list” of birds, which we spotted in Amole Canyon.

Las Trampas on the high road to Taos — Church at Las Trampas on the High Road to Taos.

The light in northern New Mexico is outstanding and ominous at times.

Shrine near Vadito — Shrine near Placitas.

Placitas chapel belfry — Chapel belfry, Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, Placitas.

Below is the church in Llano de San Juan. It has one of the nicest belfries around, with the big bell exposed and not cloistered behind chicken wire or lattice to keep the pigeons out.

church belfry clouds llano de san juan 1985 — Church belfry in Llano de San Juan, NM.

Grave marker in Las Trampas, photographed by Ansel Adams in the 1940s.

Sadly, the house across the plaza from the church caught fire a few years ago. I shot it anyway.

Burnt out house in Las Trampas — Burnt house in Las Trampas.

And the hippie bus with a tree growing from its nose.

Om Shanty bus — “Om Shanti” bus near Truchas, NM.

As always, thanks for looking. Have a great week. G

Storms Bringing Fabulous Rain. 07-17-24.

Geraint July 16, 2024 8 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, (Taos), NM. This week storms brought fabulous rain to our neck of the woods. The southern end of our rocky mountains looked like the first image on several occasions this week.

The monsoons continue. They began earlier this year. Some systems are specific, pouring on one side of the valleys and plateau while missing other areas entirely, I think the picture below indicates that is the case as a storm drops much-needed rain on the mountains and valleys.

Storms over our Taos Mountains — Storms move through the Taos Mountains.

Only two photos this week. I just finished working on the image below from a couple of months ago, taken from my favorite spot on the rim of the Rio Grande Gorge with the river and Ute Mountain. You know the one.

Storms over Ute Mountain with the Rio Grande, NM — Ute Mountain with the Rio Grande, NM.

As always, thank you for looking and all the wonderful comments and compliments. Have a great week. G

Across The Taos Plateau Volcanic Field. 07-10-2024.

Geraint July 9, 2024 18 Comments

Greetings from Taos, NM. This week views across the Taos Plateau Volcanic Field. I gathered some images for another project and thought I’d share them here. I hope you enjoy them.

Landscape of the plateau — Evening on the plateau.

Rainbow across the Taos Valley — Rainbows and the Taos Mountains, on the edge of the Plateau.

Daily Daylilies In The Neighborhood. 07-03-2024

Geraint July 2, 2024 12 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week the Daylilies are blooming everywhere in the garden and the neighborhood. I started a daily post on Facebook of the daily daylily as they opened. Now they are coming on thick and fast it’s hard to keep up but I’m endeavoring to. I hope you’ll enjoy the following series. It’s all shot on the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Prints are available. Do you have a favorite? It’s rained a lot recently hence the water droplets. Click on an image to enlarge and off the image to go back.