San Luis Valley Homestead, Colorado

Geraint May 28, 2020 4 Comments

San Luis Valley homestead, Colorado. A former family home on the plateau long ago deserted, currently frequented by scavengers who steal the copper wiring from the power lines and dwelling. The current owner allowed me access to the property but warned me of snakes. Consider me warned! It’s a lovely stop on my San Luis Valley photo tour, to learn the history and make some images, while pondering a bygone era. Thanks for looking. G

Ute Mountain, Tree, Clouds, Sunset

Geraint May 26, 2020 8 Comments

Ute Mountain, tree, clouds, sunset. Below is one of many images from my afternoon and evening drive yesterday. I was headed to the aspen groves to make some images of green trunks, new growth and rustling new leaves. The area was closed for Elk calving until July 25th. Onward! As is often the case, a carefree attitude is rewarded with sublime moments. Yesterday was a good day for an outing and some fun images like this mountain halo. Stay tuned. Thanks for looking. G

Ute Mountain, Cattle Hay Trough

Geraint May 1, 2020 2 Comments

Ute Mountain and a hay trough, with no cattle. I can’t say that I’ve ever seen cattle at this dispenser. It’s been here for a long time and I pass it often. It sits here somewhat lonely, forlorn looking. I’ve never stopped to photograph it, but on this day, what with the clouds, sky and all, I pulled over. I watched the shadows pass across the fields and over Ute Mountain, highlighting the feeder, dwarfed by the big sky. Black and white seemed like a good idea. Thanks for looking. G

Road G, Southern Colorado

Geraint April 19, 2020 4 Comments

Road G, in Southern Colorado. One of my favorite roads, not only as it’s my initial ‘G’, but because it was the road that carried me to the San Luis Valley for the first time in 1990. From Wild Horse Mesa in the east, I could look southwest to Ute Mountain, west to the Rio Grande and north through the valley to the 14,000 foot snowy peaks. And beyond, as far as the eyes could see! My parents were with me on that first trip. Every time I head into this area I carry a little part of them with me on my initial road! Thanks for looking. G

Ute Mountain, Rio Grande Gorge, Northern NM

Geraint March 15, 2020 2 Comments

Ute Mountain, with the Rio Grande Gorge, northern New Mexico. A quick cell phone photo on a photo tour/workshop last week. At this point the photographer I took out was flying his drone. I enjoyed having both feet on the ground but his images had a spectacular elevated perspective. I’ll see if I can share them in due course. Now I want a drone. Thanks for looking. G

Wild Rivers Recreation Area, NM

Geraint October 16, 2019 No Comments

Wild Rivers Recreation Area, in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, NM. Popped in here for last but one stop on a tour last week. The clouds were chasing each other across the landscape, helping to create a wonderful depth to this vista, highlighting Ute Mountain in the background. Thanks for looking. G

Red Barn, Hole In The Roof Sunset

Geraint October 13, 2019 No Comments

Red Barn, hole in the roof sunset, San Luis Valley, Colorado. I haven’t been to visit the red barn in a while, just north of Ute Mountain, there on the left. The wind can be brutal in this area with many bits of the barn scattered around the perimeter. There are more and more openings in this old building, perfectly positioned, for the sun to peer through before setting across the plateau. Thanks for looking. G

Barley Fields, Ute Mountain, Colorado

Geraint September 4, 2019 4 Comments

Barley fields, Ute Mountain, San Luis Valley, Colorado. Interestingly enough, “Sting” was playing in Taos on Labor Day. Too many people (8000) in a small park in town for me to want to attend. But I do like his song “Fields of Gold” and I much prefer the solitude in these fields of golden barley. I grew up surrounded by barley and wheat fields in Yorkshire, England, so this scene took me back a ways. Thanks for looking. G

Blooming Yucca, Rio Grande Gorge Rim

Geraint June 10, 2019 2 Comments

Blooming Yucca in Wild Rivers Recreation Area on the Rio Grande Gorge Rim. That Yucca plant from a couple of weeks ago is finally blooming. Those few cold nights and days slowed things down but now this part of the state is in a super bloom. Yuccas and Indian Paintbrush go so well together. I hope you can take the time to get outside. Or… join me on a tour, I’ll show you the beautiful locations in this corner of the state. Thanks for looking. G

Yucca Bloom, Rio Grande Gorge Rim

Geraint May 31, 2019 No Comments

Yucca bloom, on the Rio Grande Gorge Rim at the Wild Rivers Recreation Area. The blooms are plentiful this year. The potential for the flowers to manifest is great, but… the Bighorn Sheep seem to enjoy yucca blooms very much. They bite the succulent heads off them and leave the rest. The evidence? Their droppings in the vicinity of a number of the plants. We’ll be back up there again tomorrow so I’ll get to do some more sleuthing. Perhaps we’ll see some flowers like these I posted from Monument Valley, Arizona As always thanks for looking. G

Geraint Smith Photography

Tag: Ute Mountain