A Little Piece Of Heaven
Near Ridgway, CO
A LITTLE PIECE OF HEAVEN
A BRIEF SUMMARY OF A LITTLE PIECE OF HEAVEN
I found this location one morning when I was just driving an old dirt road near Ridgway, CO (County Rd. 9). The road was muddy from the previous night’s snowstorm and I was focused more on the road than paying attention to the views. Luckily, I looked up for a moment and saw this wonderful sight and it took my breath away.
I parked my Jeep and stayed here all morning, without a concern in the world. I thought this must be what Heaven is like…
Images and location summary by Tim Wier
Annual Subscription
Lifetime Membership
DATA POINTS INCLUDED WITH A LITTLE PIECE OF HEAVEN SUMMARY
I would rate the difficulty of this trail 3 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being most difficult). The location is right of the road, but the drive to the location is 5.4 miles on a narrow dirt road (with several bumps and holes), winding through the Colorado countryside. I would recommend a 4-wheel drive vehicle.
Important to note: There are a few places on the road which narrow to one lane. There is one place in particular (at exactly 2 miles from CO HW62) where you will making an uphill blind S curve in a very narrow section with tall bushes obstructing your view. If there is another vehicle coming, it may cause a head-on collision. It is best to be very cautious at this point and greatly reduce your speed on the turns. I would suggest traveling this road with a 4-wheel drive vehicle.
If the road is wet or muddy, don’t attempt to drive the road as you are almost guaranteed to get stuck and it is a 12 mile walk back to Ridgway.
Please note, the dirt road that is county road CR9 is public property and can be used for taking pictures and traveling through the ranchland. However, the land on either side of the dirt road is private property and the owner, Ralph Lauren (Double RL Ranch), takes this seriously. I have been reminded of this by ranch hands many times.
This is mainly a straightforward shot. You may want to walk around the area to find the best composition for you. There are a handful of small Aspen trees that help to give color and depth to the shot.
If you are going to shoot at sunrise, you may consider shooting the sky a few minutes before the sun touches the mountain peaks - and then blending it together with an image of when the mountains receive the first light). Otherwise, the sky may ...
The shot above was taken with a 24mm lens.
8,764 Ft. Elevation
Other Resources Available with Membership
KMZ Trail File
Directions
Best Time of Day to Shoot
Best Time of Year to Shoot
Equipment Needed
Permits Required
Direction of Shot
Google Maps Birds-Eye-View
Number of Photographers to Expect
Cell Service
Overnight Lodging/Camping
Nearby Restaurants
Area Guides and Workshops
Other Resources
LOCATION SUMMARIES WRITTEN BY PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS
