In early fall, the shimmering leaves of the aspen, the quintessential Colorado tree, turn to a positively glowing shade of gold. Towns,streets, dogs & beer have been named after this glorious tree. The golden colors don’t last long, however…usually from mid-September to the beginning of October.
Take a visual tour exploring these 30 captivating images of aspens photographed by San Clemente,California fine art photographer, Ron Azevedo during his trip to Colorado during peaking Autumn color.
(More of Ron’s photography can be found at www.ronazevedo.com & at www.facebook.com/RonAzevedoPhotography)
Golden Road
Image by: RonAzevedo
The glory of aspens…Snowmass Village, Colorado
Autumn At Maroon Bells
Image by: RonAzevedo
One of the most photographed spots in Colorado….the Maroon Bells in Aspen.
‘My favorite spot is by the lake,
With forest by the side,
‘Cause in the fall with colors bright,
Its’ beauty we can’t hide.
When the water’s ruffled by the breeze,
And it laps upon the shore,
The sound is very soothing and it,
Makes me yearn for more.
The scent of leaves upon the ground,
Is the only one of its’ kind and no aroma in all the world,
Is such a perfect find.
Reflections on the water of the,
Trees are that of fire,
And when I look up to the trees,
Their beauty reaches higher.
The peacefulness that lies abound,
Upon the lake all o’er,
Has been there for a thousand years,
And sure to be much more.’
~Douglas R. Hill
Nature’s Bedding
Image by: RonAzevedo
Kebler Pass,Colorado
Journey’s End
Image by: RonAzevedo
Independence Pass
On Golden Pond
Image by: RonAzevedo
A private pond I came across off of Independence Pass.
Aspen in Black and White
Image by: RonAzevedo
Independence Pass,Colorado
Traveling across the Independence Pass, I spotted a beautiful grove of aspens deep in a ravine…after a careful hike down the steep slope, I was rewarded with some of the most beautiful clusters of aspens I had seen thus far. I focused on a tight abstract shot through the trees & converted to black and white.
Heavenly Beam
Image by: RonAzevedo
The skies would turn gnarly & nasty just about every day I spent in Aspen…but as bad as this looks,it actually only rained lightly for about 10 minutes:) These storms would roll in and be gone just as quickly as they arrived.
~Snowmass….Aspen,Colorado
Hidden Hideaway
Image by: RonAzevedo
An old abandoned shack found in Ashcroft Ghost Town
Long Autumn Shadows
Image by: RonAzevedo
~Kebler Pass,Colorado
On the way back from a day trip over the Kebler Pass to Crested Butte,Colorado…I came across another amazing grove of aspens. The leaves on the ground were still golden & had yet to turn brown…the scene was magical & I was able to capture several images in the waning afternoon sunshine. This was taken at the same location at ‘Nature’s Bedding’.
Endure The Darkness
Image by: RonAzevedo
‘I will love the light for it shows me the way. Yet I will endure the darkness for it shows me the stars.’
~Og Mandino
Front Row Seating
Image by: RonAzevedo
Taken above Snowmass Village looking out to a major storm closing in on the Aspen Valley below…
Astray
Image by: RonAzevedo
Aspen abstract
Crystal Lake
Image by: RonAzevedo
Marble,Colorado
Impending Storm
Image by: RonAzevedo
‘You sense when a great storm approaches
It rambles and shakes from the floor
Feels like horses stampeding
Just nature marching once more
The awesome drips that are speeding
Like bullets when rain hits the roof
Its hard to quiet your heartbeat
When drops are like horses hooves
They seem to be chasing their shadows
The shadows being the clouds
The darkness of forces approaching
Thunder that threatens…out loud
Flares of natures ambition
Feeding the earth with such force
Spears of light…ammunition
Threatening us all on her course
Marching like Sherman she broaches
The marshes that lead to the sea
Afterward calming her creatures
The animals, birds and then me
The calm after she leaves us
Its heaven smitten with greens
Limes and colors of emeralds
Washed over and smelling so clean.’
~Susan Kathryn de Vegter
In The Thick Of The Woods
Image by: RonAzevedo
An aspen forest near Snowmass,Colorado.
Colorado Gold
Image by: RonAzevedo
Aspen forest peaking with color…Independence pass, just East of Aspen
Rippled
Image by: RonAzevedo
Autumn reflections on Lost Lake Slough,Colorado
Covenant
Image by: RonAzevedo
And God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.’ Genesis 9:12-16
~Snowmass~Aspen,Colorado
Road Not Taken
Image by: RonAzevedo
‘Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.’
~Robert Frost
DMV Abstract
Image by: RonAzevedo
The license plate wall in Crested Butte,Colorado
Seeking Autumn
Image by: RonAzevedo
‘Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.’
~George Eliot
Autumn’s Trail
Image by: RonAzevedo
Walking trail near Aspen
Deadwood
Image by: RonAzevedo
‘Nature has no compassion. Nature accepts no excuses and the only punishment it knows is death.’
~Eric Hoffer, Reflections on the Human Condition
Grand Entrance
Image by: RonAzevedo
Snowmass Village
Aspen Symphony
Image by: RonAzevedo
‘You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.’
~Isaiah 55:12
Lonely Road
Image by: RonAzevedo
Back roads from Aspen heading toward Snowmass Village.
A Walk In The Woods
Image by: RonAzevedo
Kebler Pass,Colorado
Vertical Expression
Image by: RonAzevedo
Aspen Abstract
Awe of Aspen
Image by: RonAzevedo
View toward Capitol Peak.
Autumn’s Face
Image by: RonAzevedo
Country lane in Snowmass Village.
