Maroon Lake to Crater Lake

[gnwatts]

My wife and I decided to check out the fall color in the best spot we knew, the Maroon Bells. It was also like disneyland, with a mass of people clustered along 100' of shore line @ 7:30 in the morning, freezing their asses off to get the same shot. So we decided to continue on to our objective 2 miles away, Crater Lake, at the base of the Maroon bells. We knew we would be walking through a spectacular grove about half way there, it was the most beautiful day hike I think I have ever been on. Not too many people, and the lake was perfect. Had lunch then beat the rain back to the car.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6096/6216050389_eca1469faf_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63097433@N07/6216050389/)
ZC0D3150 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63097433@N07/6216050389/) by greg watts photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/63097433@N07/), on Flickr


http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6233/6216565312_f6d36eb4cf_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63097433@N07/6216565312/)
ZC0D3080 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63097433@N07/6216565312/) by greg watts photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/63097433@N07/), on Flickr


http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6054/6216565158_5e245ae105_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63097433@N07/6216565158/)
ZC0D3085 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63097433@N07/6216565158/) by greg watts photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/63097433@N07/), on Flickr


http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6217/6216566082_2272df90a7_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63097433@N07/6216566082/)
ZC0D3049 - Version 2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63097433@N07/6216566082/) by greg watts photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/63097433@N07/), on Flickr

[ibenick]

Great shots. :2thumbs:

[mattandersao]

:2thumbs:

[gnwatts]

Thanks Nick and Matt

[bowjunkie]

very nice I haven't been there for yrs

[homerj]

Awesome shots!

[canyonphile]

Loved your shot in the Fall Colors thread as well! Clearly, it was worth the extra hike to get these photos (and avoid the crowds). It's a great thing that most people aren't interested or willing to go a little further away to get a unique shot...so, those that do are rewarded :2thumbs:.

The Maroon Bells are definitely a bit out of the way from me, but they are clearly one of the primo locations in our fair state to get great photos. I definitely have to go one year.

[gnwatts]

Thanks Ed, Homerj and Sonya for your comments.
The Maroon Bells are great but the area around it is equally spectacular. Yeah it's kind of a hoof from Durango, but then Durango seems like it's far from everywhere :)
Greg

[accadacca]

Beautiful captures. :popcorn: