Aspen Grove, Boulder Mountain. Dixie National Forest, Utah. October 6, 2012. © Copyright 2012 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.
Brilliantly colorful fall aspens on Boulder Mountain, Utah
The aspen groves on Boulder Mountain, in the Dixie National Forest between the Utah towns of Boulder and Torrey, was a target of our recent Utah visit. Earlier this year we had crossed the shoulder of this mountain in early April before the trees had leafed out, and we had been amazed at the extensive groves and had wondered what they must look like in autumn. After seeing earlier autumn foliage in western Utah, we were expecting great things here, too.
It turned out that the highest elevations aspens – and Boulder Mountain is a high elevation site – had really passed their prime by the time we arrived, this being an earlier than usual year for aspen color. Nonetheless, even with bare and nearly bare trees up high, there was still a lot of color is some of the lower groves and even the higher groves still held small pockets of brilliantly colored leaves. Among the first we encountered was this grove that led up the slopes to a high ridge. Trees near the bottom of the aspen forest here were still very colorful, mostly golden-yellow, but with a bit of red-orange mixed in.
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer whose subjects include the Pacific coast, redwood forests, central California oak/grasslands, the Sierra Nevada, California deserts, urban landscapes, night photography, and more.
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Text, photographs, and other media are © Copyright G Dan Mitchell (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.
Wayne, the “musical background” part is very interesting to me. Our particular music backgrounds are somewhat different, though I find it interesting that so many photographers – at least in certain genres – do have experience in music. It was great shooting with Charlie.
Dan
Hi Dan, I wanted to respond earlier but didn’t get the chance. Thanks for your reply. That must have been a great trip with Charlie, a really nice guy and obviously excellent photographer and teacher. I really enjoyed and learned a lot from his photoshop fine art printing class.Both of you have too much in common with the photography and music backgrounds!
I just remembered that it was you who setup his talk last year at DeAnza. I briefly met you afterwards in the crowd of people admiring your prints on display in your office there.
Beautiful color! Was wondering if you had gone to Boulder Mtn. when seeing your earlier Utah fall images. This place has been on my list to photograph for awhile from when I saw Charles Cramer’s shot of these aspens in some light fog and bought one of his prints. The groves are more perfect than our Eastern Sierra groves as they seem more regularly spaced tall and very straight vertical aspen trees. Must be an incredible sight to see those amazing large groves of aspens there.
Wayne: What a coincidence. I’m driving back from Utah right now, and Charlie is sitting in the back seat! We’re returning from a 10 – day trip out there.
Those Boulder Mountain aspens certainly not like my old friends the eastern Sierra aspens- these groves are far more extensive, and the trees are taller and straighter.
Dan