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Milky Way over Corkscrew Gulch, CO

The Shot: ‘Milky Way over Corkscrew Gulch, Colorado’.

I love the San Juans, and Day 4 of this trip gave me a whole new appreciation of the Red Mountain Pass area. We’ve all been awed by the drive up 550 toward Silverton; Red Mountain #2 stands tall above the highway, and the reds and oranges are a sight to behold. Corkscrew Gulch starts off Hwy 550 just below Ironton, and winds its way up to a 180° basin between Red Mountains #1 and 2, and it is spectacular. In every conceivable way.

After running into couple from Golden who happen to know my next door neighbor of 22 years, I set up camp and took a quick stroll into the basin to recon a night location. I ended up with the day’s office on a talus flow (as always), and spent about 7 hours shooting from 7 until midnight. Fortunately the sunset and clear air did not disappoint.

 

 ‘Milky Way over Corkscrew Gulch, Colorado’:

Probably one of the finest Milky Way panorama images I’ve produced to date.

 

Milky Way over Corkscrew Gulch, CO
Milky Way and Jupiter rise over Corkscrew Gulch, CO, 6/23/20. [Panorama printable to 114×42″ at native resolution, 2 rows of 7 images for sky, two focus-bracketed sets of 7 images for foreground.]

 

 

 

Talus flows, Red Mountain #2
Talus slopes flow downhill, Red Mountain #2, San Juan County, CO.

 

 

Sunset, Red Mountain #1
Last light of sunset over talus slopes between Red Mountain # 1 and 2.

 

 

Waterfall, Porphyry Gulch, CO
Abundant June snowmelt produces a significant waterfall below Bullion King Lake, Porphyry Gulch, San Juan County, Colorado.

 

 

Meteor over Corkscrew Gulch, CO
Jupiter, Saturn, meteor and Milky Way over Corkscrew Gulch, CO.
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