Trails are snow packed on North Table Mountain much of the time in January. Teig loves the snow and cool conditions on a sunny day in the Front Range Mountains of Colorado. Not to many hikers and the crisp cool landscape is great for exploring!
Winter Flatirons from North Table Mountain
A beautiful day hiking and exploring North Table Mountain outside of Golden Colorado. The view north to Boulder and the Flatirons was awesome with the snow covering much of the landscape. What a fantastic place to call home.
Heavy Snow at Redrocks
Redrocks Park is a phenomenal hiking location when a winter storm hits the Front Range mountains of Colorado. The Redrocks and snow create a red and white wonderland that you will not find in most other parts of the world. Redrocks is truly a beautiful place especially in winter.
The Chase in the Sangre De Cristo Range”
Teig was off and in chase of a Pronghorn Antelope near McCrystal Creek in the Sangre De Cristo Range of northern New Mexico. Teig is an old dog but still has some speed in the short races but in this one he had no chance to even come close to this beautiful antelope. Although, it was good exercise for my old dog.
Mutual Respect
When traversing the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, we inevitably will cross the path of some open range cattle. Teig does get a bit excited when he sees cows who notice him. On this day we were above Buena Vista and there were quite a few of them on the ridges feeding. This cow and her calf watched as we approached. Teig barked once then just stared at her and her calf. They pondered each other for a couple of minutes and then Teig continued on… I guess there was mutual respect and no further contact was required.
Ice and South Boulder Creek
The winter conditions in the Front Range mountains of Colorado create some cool features. We were exploring the canyons west of Boulder and we came across partially frozen South Boulder Creek. Sitting down and having lunch I began to study the creek and became fascinated with the icicles and crisp flowing water. I spent a little time there and I captured this photo.
Lone Raven Perched above Chaco Canyon
We were exploring the rim of Chaco Canyon when we came across this raven perched on the canyon wall hundreds of feet above the valley floor. Teig and I sat near him and he was not bothered by us. I loved his dark form contrasted to beautiful canyon walls. It was calming to watch him relax an the rims edge and the vast canyons stretch into the distance.
Fajada Butte in Chaco Canyon
Waking up to a beautiful sunrise and this view in Chaco Canyon National Monument gets me motivated to saunter around the Colorado Plateau in northwest New Mexico.
Traildog Waiting on North Table Mountain
Patience is one of Teig’s greatest strengths. He spends an enormous amount of time on the trail waiting for me as I capture photographs of our adventures and the wonderful landscapes we travel across. He is here patiently waiting for me on North Table Mountain in the middle of January… calmly watching me as I was getting a panorama of the Front Range and Golden Colorado. I love him for that!
Pueblo Pintado Two Story Ruins
Hidden on the Navajo Reservation in northern New Mexico is the Pueblo Pintado historical ruins. 16 miles east of Pueblo Bonito, Pueblo Pintado is the easternmost of the Chacoan great houses in the immediate Chaco Canyon area. Archaeologists call Pueblo Pintado a “Chacoan great house,” a civic and ceremonial center utilized by many surrounding communities. The structure is a massive L-shaped building, open to the SE. The building is terraced, from 3 stories on the outside corner to the single-story enclosed kivas (round, semisubterranean ceremonial chambers) on the interior corner. About 20 single-story rooms enclose the plaza and a large enclosed kiva. The entire great house contained 90 groundfloor rooms, 40 second-story rooms, and 5 third-story rooms. A hundred feet southeast of the building is a subterranean great kiva 58 feet in diameter. Most of the construction occurred at A.D. 1060-1061, during Chaco’s peak construction period, with a later reoccupation in the 1200s.
Traildog in the Snowy Grass
Teig really enjoys the snow storms in the Front Range foothills of Colorado. I can’t help taking portraits of him in the snow. As a photographer, I can’t help creating images of subjects I love.
Dirt Road to Cerro De Guadalupe
Our view sauntering on the 4x4 roads near Cabezon, New Mexico. Cerro De Guadalupe is one of the ancient volcanic formations that are extremely fascinating in the area. There is a numerous backcountry roads and tons of space to explore in this high desert region on the Colorado Plateau.
Badlands Faux Dino Rock
Exploring the Bisti Badlands in Northwest New Mexico is like exploring a “martian world”. The scenery is other worldly with wonderful rock formations covering the landscape. This specific specimen reminded me of a large dinosaurs vertebrae. Just imagine coming upon a dino vertebrae in the middle of the desert…. Wouldn’t that be a blast!
Cerro Chato Volcanic Peak
The ancient volcanic peaks in the Cabezon region of New Mexico are astounding to witness first hand. Exploring this area is worthwhile with few visitors and fantastic views of the New Mexico deserts and mountains. Teig and I love to get “lost” in the desert southwest.
Reflective above Bryce Canyon
Bryce Canyon is one the most spectacular views in America. Looking down into the orange and red banded canyon made me feel inspired with the beauty of nature. This young woman appears to have a similar reaction to viewing the canyon.
Shadows in the Bisti Badlands
We experienced this wonderful landscape exploring the Bisti Badlands on the Navajo Reservation in northwest New Mexico. The rock formations are mesmerizing and a saunter out into the wilderness can create a sensation of freedom. Teig and I love this area and the serenity it allows for us and there is a plethora to explore that you can spend a week and constantly experience a new landscape on every turn.
Rio Puerco Volcanic Necks
Cabezon Peak is one of the best-known and most visible landmarks in northwest New Mexico. This giant volcanic plug is visible for tens of miles in all directions. Cabezon means “big head” in Spanish, and it is aptly named. It is the largest of several dozen widely scattered rocky monoliths, called the Rio Puerco necks. Rising above the Rio Puerco valley floor, they are some of the best-preserved examples of volcanic necks in the world. The craggy black peaks stand in sharp contrast to the sparsely vegetated, buff-colored lowlands from which they emerge.The Jemez Mountains are visible to the north. This starkly beautiful landscape is unique in New Mexico. At an elevation of 7,786 ft, Cabezon Peak towers more than 1,100 ft above its base, and 2,000 ft above the Rio Puerco nearby.
Exploring Anasazi Nogales Cliff House Ruins
Nogales Cliff House in the Santa Fe National Forest in northern New Mexico. Our hike led us up a steep hillside to a hamlet of minimally excavated Anasazi Gallina houses as well as a series of garden terraces. The residents of this settlement must have enjoyed their rooms with a view over the Llaves Valley. Teig definitely enjoyed the hike and we had this awesome view along the long forgotten garden terraces to the larger cliff dwellings. It is so exciting to be able to explore the hidden archaeological treasures.
Nogales Cliff House Ruins
Nogales Cliff House in the Santa Fe National Forest in northern New Mexico. It is situated in an alcove formed by sandstone cliffs. This well-preserved ruin is a structure that was probably built around 1,000 A.D. by a Pueblo Indian Group specific to this area called the Gallina Anasazi. It was abandoned some time in the 1,200’s.
Songbirds during Snow Storm
Small birds finding a little refuge from the snow at Redrocks in Morrison Colorado.