Rocky Mountain National Park - Sprague Lake

Sprague Lake

Sprague Lake is located on the east side of RMNP, and is at an elevation of 8,688 feet. The area is named after Abner Sprague, who started a homestead there in 1874.

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Sprague Lake can be a cold and desolate place, as it was on the morning I took this photo. It was about 12 degrees, and the wind was howling. While the blowing wind made it difficult to get a sharp photo, it did do a nice job of clearing the frozen lake of any snow. And that clear ice acted like a mirror for the spectacular sunrise that was happening above. A mixture of low and high clouds caught the light in a variety of different ways that morning. It created a yellow, orange and purple sunrise I won’t soon forget. As the sun rose I was the only person on the lake watching it, thankful for the opportunity to breathe in the fresh cold air, while Mother Nature painted the sky.

Fire & Ice

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Lunch Time

Summer in the park is wonderful time of the year. The flowers are in bloom, and the wildlife are active. I had set up my tripod to capture the summer day at the lake, when all of a sudden a friend appeared. Happily grazing on the weeds in the lake, the young bull made a great subject.

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This was taken on the first day of summer, but I got to experience all the seasons that day. A strong storm rolled over the rockies, with snow, sleet, thunder, lightening, rain, and wind. The snow was confined to the higher elevations, leaving a nice frosting over the mountains. After the storm passed, it was followed by a calm, cool afternoon. The clouds remained, and the lake was smooth as glass. It was one of the more serene and peaceful moments I’ve had during the day in the park, and this panorama was my attempt to capture it.

Summer Powder

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Dive Into The Milky Way

Late in the Milky Way season, and before the wildfires closed the park, I was able to go to Sprague Lake for a Milky Way shoot. It was really cold that night, and it was during the Elk Rut. I was the only one at the lake taking pictures. While I was capturing the sky, I could hear the Elk bugling. It was hard to say if they were close by or not, and while it was a little unnerving, staring at the Milky Way listening to the Elk was blissful.

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