Lake Ice Formations - Blue Mesa Reservoir, CO

Every so often, we stumble upon something unexpected, something almost enchanting and they are regularly buried in the details of the mundane. When I lived in Gunnison, CO I would take frequent trips to Blue Mesa Reservoir for photography. It was where I practiced taking ultra-long exposures, where I learned how to photograph the Milky Way, and where I went when I was just looking for something to photograph. It was a special place for me and became more special one winter evening.

I was working at a Best Western motel at the time, it was cold and in the dead of winter, and I was bored. After work, I made a beeline out to Blue Mesa because I thought there would be a gorgeous sunset, the clouds just had that look. I walked around on the lake ice for a little while, just waiting for the sun to set and almost tripped on a piece of ice that was sticking up out of the thick ice. When I looked down, I saw a scene that would change the way I viewed ice.

There were these "icicles" that were sticking up from the ice, something I haven't seen before or since. Some were quite brittle and yet a few were pretty sturdy, thick ice emerging from the fresh layer of snow. They were quite short, only a few inches tall but the scene demanded a closer look. Still wearing my dress shirt, slacks, and tie from work I laid on the snow and sought a lower viewpoint. The sunlight refracted through the icicle and I found that magical scene in the mundane. When you're out walking, trying to find something to shoot, look down, get low, and take in the details!

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