It was December and we finally got some serious snow in Grand Junction, which is only about 4600 feet above sea level. Which meant that it was time for another trip up to the Colorado National Monument, to get some shots of those red rocks in the snow.
I went up the West entrance, to the visitor’s center and took the usual shots from there.
Same scene that you’ve already seen in my prior Substacks, except this time with sparkly snow! The road across the top of the Monument was plowed and I had four wheel drive. So I kept going.
The city of Grand Junction is down on the flat lands in the background. The Book Cliffs and Mt. Garfield are on the far side of it. In the top right corner can be seen a little bit of the Grand Mesa.
I proceeded on to Ute Canyon (see this post), which has a dogleg in it. Here’s a shot at the corner of it, looking up and down in both directions of the dogleg:
Black Ridge, with its antenna towers, can be seen in the upper left corner of this photo. Going the rest of the way across the top of the mesa, I stopped at Cold Shivers to photograph the hoodoo there:
Back at home, Pookie was resting on my nice warm laptop. She loved the outdoors, but she was a Tennessee girl that did not like snow. Whenever she ventured outside into it she would take a step, then lift up a front paw and daintily shake it, then take another step. She spent winters mostly indoors, curled up where ever it was warm.
It was near Christmas. After Pookie got up for food and I was allowed to use the computer again, I made one of the above photos into a Christmas card and sent it to family.
I’d been in Grand Junction less than three months and was starting to really, really enjoy my new life as a retiree on Colorado’s West Slope.
You are a fantastic photographer and oh how I love Pookie! I can see that I am going to enjoy going through your images and stories Ken!
P.S. I officially subscribed Ken because you're worth it and it humbled me. Your price is beyond a deal. Sorry for stopping it the first time! God Bless you and Pookie in those beautiful Colorado Rockies! ox