Ouzel Falls, Rocky Mountain National Park

I’ve been generally frustrated with scenics, which never seem nearly as impressive as the original when flattened and reduced to 81/2 x 11. Worse, the camera seems unable to capture the wide range of shades the eyes perceives easily, with trees fading into shadow and water reduced to a glaring white. More often than not, I just give up and trash the photos. At the very least, I turn to Photoshop in an attempt to recapture a little of the beauty I perceived as I walked the trail to Ouzel Falls in the Rocky Mountain National Park.

Perhaps you will appreciate the beauty of this place if you get on the treadmill for an hour before stopping to look at my photos. Then you might appreciate the fact that the early part of the trail parallels the stream up the mountain,

Boulder in Stream

crosses it once,

First Waterfall

again

Waterfall

and still again

Another Waterfall

steadily climbing to Ouzel Falls and the lake beyond, which is a easily attainable if you’re not hiking with three hikers under five, or you’re in good enough shape to carry all of them that far and back out.