Every once in a while Estes Park photographer Erik Stensland presents a new photo to which my reaction is “Wow!” An image that grabs me, that stands out notably from all his others. This is “Ancient Stand,” an image Stensland captured somewhere up on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park. I had just been reading one of my old posts, “I’d like to show my child the mountains,” and then came across “Ancient Stand.” What a finale.
If you venture high enough on Trail Ridge Road, your reward could be something like this. Please go to Stensland’s website to enjoy this photograph in all its full-screen glory, in a size this WordPress theme can’t fully accommodate.
Thank you again to Erik for allowing me to share his copyrighted work on Pied Type.
Those old, old, old limber pines are so special. Dramatic lighting/weather adds emphasis in ways few see in person – ancient dead trees aren’t top selfie material? Erik’s images bring them to us to appreciate if we just look.
I realize now that I made it sound like this tree was right near the road. It might be. Then again, it might be miles into the back country where few people would ever see it. With this photo, everyone gets to see it. (I, however, would not be out looking for old trees in stormy weather and with snow still on the ground.)
Correction: Erik did mention in his description that it was up around TRR.
You are right that he is normally “far” in back country with his photos. Along TRR, that stretch from Rainbow Curve up to the Ute Trail/Tombstone Ridge trailhead, right at tree line has great limber pines.
Many racehorse from Rainbow to Forest Canyon Overlook and ignore everything in between.
I need to go back up & try to find this one… may wait till a few fewer folks are in the Park, though…. Wanna ride along??
I’d love nothing more, but I don’t see getting up there any time soon. Erik said “high on a ridge above Trail Ridge,” so that’s a lot of ground to examine. But you might get lucky. Always worth going up there, regardless.
I’d be exclusively complimentary .. were it not for the fact that the image is a little of how I feel, these days.
Strong roots, hangin’ in there against adversity. Hey, you could do worse than being like this tree. All we can do is all we can do.
Now there’s a positive slant, Colorado ! – thanks, me old china plate. 🙂
🙂
Stunning image! I took a quick look at Erik’s website, which I bookmarked and will peruse at my leisure later on. As a photographer who merely aspires to create such imagery, I can only say,”Amazing!” Erik is tops!
He is. Been my favorite for many years. Of course, he’s got a fabulous subject to work with. You’ll enjoy his site.