A better memory, perhaps, was not big game hunting, but I recall being in the Basalt area during late October back in the mid-1970's and, then, drove southwest of that area and by nightfall, I ended up in a little town named "Crystal" and there was a majestic purple glow everywhere as if an alpine glowing.. From there, with my 4x4 International Harvester Scout, I drove upon an old trail which was marked with signs which said "Travel at your own risk, danger of avalanche" and I ended up sleeping in the back of my Scout in my sleeping bag because I was next to an old mining mill next to the Crystal River.. The next morning when I had awakened, I could see that I was in a very primitive area where Aspen tree leaves were still dark yellow and bull elk were bugleing, but I waited for the sun to rise so that light would be shining upon the old mill. When the light was right, there were spots of blue sky and snow storm clouds mixed, so, I took my 4x5 view camera and tripod and I actually stood in the shallow water in the river below the mill.. With a 150mm Schneider lens, I took a couple shots of the mill using B&W film..

Once that I processed the film back home in my darkroom, I enlarged print sizes of 16x20 and hand colored the photos with photo oil paints.. Today, a copy of one of those photos hand colored, is matted and framed hanging on our den wall.. That photo is my absolute favorite as it brings back fond memories of my treks into the primitive areas of the magnificent beautiful state of Colorado !

~Doug~