PURPLE MOUNTAIN REFLECTIONS

It was a cool August summer morning when I arrived at the trailhead to Bierstadt Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. I started up the steep trail at 5:15 am to catch the sunrise at the lake and the Continental Divide. It would take me just under an hour to reach the lake. There are numerous switchbacks leading up the mountain through some stands of aspen trees. After about 20 minutes, I no longer needed my headlamp to guide my way up the mountain. I came to a clearing in which you can see Sprague Lake in the distance below. I arrived at the lake around 6 am and started my way along the south end of the lake. The lake isn't very big, I guess you could walk your way around it in about a half hour or so. The lighting was starting to become interesting on this end of the lake so, I set up my tripod, took some shots of Bierstadt Lake and the mountains in the distance during this cool morning, in which they turned out to be some very nice shots. I left this spot to head to the east end of the lake, which only took me a couple minutes. The lighting was very good and I ended up staying in this spot for about a half hour photographing. I decided to call it a day, in which the friendly ducks were sad to see me leave (really morning cause it was only about 7:30am). I stood up from where I was sitting on the log and took a couple last shots when I noticed two moose coming out from the pine forest and into the lake to feed on the vegetation. I made my way around the north end of the lake and stayed to photograph the two moose for another forty five minutes with Hallett Peak, Flattop Mountain and Otis Peak in the background. Before arriving at Bierstadt Lake trailhead, I would like to tell you what happened to me on the way there. Just before the entrance at beaver meadows at about 5 am, it was still dark out. I was driving when I noticed this huge animal out of the corner of my eye come running from the opposite side of the road right at my SUV. I broke and swerved to the right trying to avoid the animal in which I then looked to see where and what it was as I missed it. As I looked to the left to see what it was, this animal was running side by side with my SUV going about 25 mph. I noticed its brown fur blowing in the wind. I believe it was a cinnamon colored black bear. (676-2661)