Hanging Lake

Hanging Lake is one of Colorado’s most spectacular waterfalls and is a very popular hike from June through September. Located near Glenwood Springs this one mile uphill battle and is a must for your Colorado bucket list. If you are looking for a little more adventure the trail is open year round. When hiking during winter months you should be prepared with crampons to get though some icy locations.

This photograph was taken December 26th after a week long cold spell that came through Colorado. The extreme cold temperatures set the stage for these icicles to from as they are seen here. After reaching the lake an hour before sunrise, I worked my way around the lake looking for the perfect location to capture this incredible winter scene. Getting to this location became more challenging and took a little more risk than I was originally planning on. Walking to the far side of the lake I was able to work my way up a snow covered rock. Looking though my viewfinder pointed at the falls I noticed another smaller snow covered rock. This object was unflattering and knew the only way to capture the true essence of the scene I needed it removed. There was a two foot gap between the large rock I was on and the smaller rock I am now thinking about going to. With both rocks covered in foot of snow and the smaller rock with a 4 foot radius (some pretty cold water below), I was preparing to jump. Packing my gear backup and working my way slowly to the edge of the large rock, I got low and spread my arms. Leaping forward and falling on my stomach I was now on the smaller rock. My heart was already rushing from the moment I arrived as the pure beauty of these frozen falls excited my photographic passion. I now felt like my heart was pumping though my chest (having made the jump) but really from the scene that now presented itself. I was able to capture this photograph moments before the rising sun reached the top canyon walls.

There's a good reason this is one of the most popular hikes in the state of Colorado. Geologically speaking, there are few places in the world that can compare to this marvel of Mother Nature. - visitglenwood.com