One Last Breath of Winter
Now that winter is pretty much over (although I’m sure we’ll get at least one more snow storm here in New Mexico before summer), I recently spent some time reviewing photos from my winter outdoor activities. I came across several images from the dozens of excursions I’ve done this winter and early spring. In terms of pure fun and good times, I have to say that this winter has been one of the most memorable to date. Copious amounts of snowfall in the mountains meant that our winter backcountry skiing activities extended well into March this year. Plus we were able to make a quick and easy transition from skiing to mountain biking; there was even an afternoon where I did both in the same day. So with spring, singletrack and sunshine up on us, I present a collection of images that celebrate this past winter’s glory.
While I don’t consider myself a landscape photographer, I will occasionally go out in search of a something beautiful. Living in the Southwest means that we are surrounded by beauty, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to make an extraordinary photograph. For me, the thing that sets a quality landscape apart is the light, and we have plenty of great light here in New Mexico. The challenge is finding it and then wait for the right moment, which is why I don’t often make these types of pictures. As a photojournalist by trade, I’m prefer to be where the action is. That being said, this photo has little to do with spectacular light. The overcast skies brought out the texture and color of the rock at Red Rock State Park. I was pleased with this photo and even saw that it made it onto the a few photo blogs put out by some of the country’s larger newspapers, including The Washington Post.
Snow is great if you get to play in it and then head home to a city where all of your needs are a quick jaunt to the store, like I do. But living in a remote area when a big storm hits can make daily life challenging for some, especially on distant parts of the reservation. The Ramah Navajo reservation has seen it’s share of powder this winter, and the resulting mud from the melting of all that white stuff creates access problems. The chapter house has been delivering loads of supplies of food, water, firewood and hay to residents who either live on inaccessible roads, or are elderly and unable to make the journey into town.
Like the rest of the country, western New Mexico has had it’s share of snow this winter. To a Midwesterner like myself, I can’t say that it rivals the amount we would get living along the western coast of Lake Michigan, but it’s no less fun. In fact, it’s more like an invitation to continue to getting out and having fun, even as the biking season winds down. The Zuni Mountains are a fantastic set of mountains to explore, their smooth and rolling nature lends itself to short backcountry excursions with your choice of up and downs along the small ridges, or just cruising along in the open meadows. And when it’s all done, there is nothing better than coming back to the warmth of a friends cabin.
