Falling into Wilderness

We simply need that wild country available to us, even if we never do more than drive to its edge and look in. For it can be a means of reassuring ourselves of our sanity as creatures, a part of the geography of hope.
- Wallace Stegner

Notes: Here's another take on West Creek Falls in Rocky Mountain National Park. Much of my passion for the natural world has sprang from hiking in this area throughout my life, my own "geography of hope" as it were. Even when I am away from this place, I am inspired just by knowing it exists.

Shot Info: 7 frame HDR blended down on the non-HDR 0.3 EV frame. I used both an ND and a polarizer to get as long of exposures as possible (I need a stronger ND). The fun part was wading out in the pool to where a log was mired where I hooked up my Gorilla Pod to take the photo almost right at the surface of the water. Amazingly it proved sturdy enough for the job and I didn't get (too) wet. ;-)

West CreekFallsWaterfallRocky Mountain National ParkRMNPNPSCOColoradoWildernessWildWoodsForestPoolLong ExposureNatureLandscapeRiverCreekWaterLarimerLandWest Creek State Natural AreaCNAPNikonD300Karma_POTDMichael MenefeeNational Park

From The Variety Collection