GATEWAY CITY: Denver, Colorado [DEN] | ARRIVAL WINDOW: 10 a.m. to 12 noon
Go to Orbitz for the average roundtrip air-fare from your city

OUTLINE:  Our exploration America's 'roof top' will bring diverse photo subjects such as wildlife, ghost towns, waterfalls, spectacular wild flowers, and breathtaking mountain landscapes etcetera

Colorado is a name that is up there with the best of them when it comes to destinations that Americans would most like to visit. The difference is that Colorado will linger on the palette many times longer than most of it’s natural and man-made competition. For the photographer, Colorado has it all. From spectacular falls to ghost towns, yellow and green Aspen groves to wildlife and towering mountain landscapes. We hope you'll decide to share it all with us this summer.

OVERSEAS TRAVEL
<> It is recommended, but not imperative, that you arrive a day early to be fresh and on time for the trip!
<> Early arrival also enables you to explore the gateway city should you wish.
<> A late flight arrival on day 1 of the trip might entail you having to find your own way to the first hotel, if not close to the airport.
<> Please note that the ending date of the trip is the day of your departure flight. Please arrange your flights accordingly.

DAYS 1, 2, and 3  |  ROCKY MOUNTAIN N. P.
I'll meet your midday flights into the new Denver airport, and then away via Boulder and Muggins Gulch to Estes Park on the doorstep of Rocky Mountain national park, which is dominated by 14,256’ Long’s Peak. On days 2 and 3 our park highlights will include Trail Ridge Road, Fall River Canyon, Chasm Falls, Nymph Lake, and wildlife including Elk, Coyote, Big Horn Sheep, Marmot, and semi-tame Ravens plus wildflowers.
ESTES PARK, 3 nights

DAYS 4 and 5  |  ASPEN and MAROON BELLS
Leaving the Rocky Mountain national park area today, we’ll return south on the opposite side of the continental divide, and via Interstate 70 to start our zigzag of mountain passes with Guanella Pass. Mt. Evans will appear in the east as we move on to Boreas Pass, a former railroad bed on which Elephants used to push circus trains to Breckenridge on the northeastern slope. Via Leadville with it’s ghost and modern town mix, to turn west under Colorado’s highest peak, Mt. Elbert at 14,433’. Over Independence pass and into Aspen for our 2 night stay.
On day 5 we’ll rise early for the first light on the Maroon Bells . . . a Colorado classic. Marmot and Mule Deer are easy to shoot here. While in the area we’ll also explore Independence and Ashcroft ghost towns, Pyramid Peak, Seven Castles and more.
ASPEN, 2 nights

DAY 6  |  CRYSTAL and CRESTED BUTTE
Another sunrise excursion to start day 6 if the weather cooperates, and then we’ll hit the road for Marble via the brick kilns of Redstone. Marble provided the marble for the Lincoln Memorial. Over McClure Pass to Kebler Pass where we’ll find the largest stand of Aspen trees on the planet . . . you’ll have to do our autumn trip one day to appreciate them even more! We’ll be in Crested Butte for the wild flowers - perhaps the Rockies’ best display - and we’ll take our time over them both this evening and early on day 7.
CRESTED BUTTE, 1 night

DAYS 7 and 8  |  CRESTED BUTTE to TELLURIDE
We’ll make an early exploration of Gothic Valley as we pursue more blankets of wild flowers, then we’ll move south and east via Gunnison for a spell at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison (river). This deep canyon which is 1,700’ to 2,400’ in depth is a mixture of stark Pinon trees, rocks and subtle colors. We’ll continue shooting as we move on to Telluride via the Dallas Divide for our 2 night stay.
On day 8 we’ll make early and late runs to the Last Dollar Road, which will provide classics topped by distant Mt. Wilson. Bridal Veil Falls will also be a feature while we are in the Telluride area.
TELLURIDE, 2 nights

DAY 9  |  To MANITOU SPRINGS
An early start will see us going back over the Dallas Divide with awesome scenery to slow us all the way. We shall have the option of re-visiting the Black Canyon of the Gunnison in ‘different’ light, then continue east via Salida to pause and point lenses at rafters and kayakers in spectacular rapids on the Arkansas River. On to Royal Gorge to shoot the highest suspension bridge in the world at 1,053’ above the Arkansas River. Mule Deer are easy to photograph here too. On to Manitou Springs for the night.
MANITOU SPRINGS, 1 night

DAY 10  |  Flights home
Early light on day 10 will bring out the best in the Garden of the Gods . . . red rock country. After breakfast we shall move north to the Denver airport for early afternoon flights home.