My recent annual 14er climb was disappointing in one regard: haze prevented the grand vistas I so enjoy from high elevations. Before summiting, we camped in an ideal location for surveying the twinkling lights in the sprawling San Luis Valley. But that night, we could see little more than a general glow through the haze.
It was not until we viewed photos after the trip that I was reminded of one benefit of haze: interesting photos. Darol snapped the one below as I crossed over from a sub-peak to the summit of Ellingwood Point (14,042). Thanks in part to the haze, another 14er, Mount Lindsey, looms behind me without drawing attention to its own rocky detail.
Perhaps Darol has learned a few things from his wife, photographer extraordinaire, Debbie Klawetter. But chances are, he wasn’t thinking much better than I was at that elevation!
Have you ever been surprised by a good photo in what you thought were bad conditions? Reply below and tell us about it.
