#013: A Visual Essay of Gunnison Country
Spent a few days in the wilderness in Gunnison Country. Here are my top discoveries.
The pace of life working in technology and AI developments has been overwhelming lately. That’s why I pulled the plug last weekend to ‘Go West’ and immerse myself in the wilderness of Gunnison Country in central/western Colorado. I can’t put the experience into words as well as my photos and videos, so below is a travel journal log entry of sorts.
This is my way to reflect and pause in appreciation for God’s creation, and the rest that it gives my soul. I hope it can briefly do the same for you as you review these images. Enjoy.
Patience Pays Off: An amazing brown trout took a black midge dry fly while I was fishing at 9,000 feet up in a location known for large trout yet challenging fly fishing. Going here over the years started with catching zero fish and thinking I would never be able to—to figuring out the reality of these trout, their food choices, and my casting techniques. It took me three hours to figure out the trout were focused on black midge flies, so once I changed rigs, it was a ton of fun in the sun.
Love Birds: I moved locations downriver later in the day, and thought I saw something moving in this nest on a boulder, and out emerged a pair of Gray Catbirds. Looks like they are building up a cozy home for the spring and summer ahead.
Mixture of Elements: This scene made me pause in appreciation because I enjoy scenery that contains a mixture of elements. Here we have a flowing river, a towering canyon wall, evergreen trees, ancient boulders, a bluebird sky, an approaching sunset, and melting snow. Oh, and don’t forget my fly rod.
Secret Habitat: On a different river the following day, I came across this split point where the river was divided by an island. It created a nice trout habitat where branches and a few pools were created. It’s places like this where you can find monster trout and also spot other animals like beavers or otters.
Idyllic Spot: Later that day, I ventured upriver to discover a beautiful scene which held a canyon face, blue skies, melting snow, evergreen trees, perfect water conditions, and a handful of trout that I caught with a streamer.
Cross in the Sky: This point of my trip was amazing. I was walking along the river in solitude; the scenery and slowed down pace allowed me to ‘catch my breath’ for the first time in a while. Then, I began praying out loud and thanking God. Suddenly, I looked up to the sky and saw a cross (it is slightly more faded in the photo than in the moment). It was and still is moving and powerful. Experiences like these are good reminders that I’m not on my own.
Time in Tomichi: Before heading home, I took one last stop to appreciate a beautiful morning. This shot was taken at sunrise near Tomichi Creek State Wildlife Area in Gunnison. While there is an airport nearby, when the planes aren’t overhead all you hear is the sound of nature around you. It was so peaceful that I didn’t even fish!
Blackbird Song: On the two day excursion I saw a lot of wildlife: a fox, elk, deer, geese, ducks, and hawks. This red-winged Blackbird greeted me with a song when I was looking off into the mountains of Gunnison while in Tomichi Creek.
Sparrow Chat: This male House Sparrow was hanging out when I returned to my AirBnb, so I started chatting with it. Looks like I’m turning into quite the ‘bird whisperer’ after spending so much time in nature.
Gunnison Country: Finally, this photo is an ode to the city of Gunnison. I learned that Gunnison has a population of about 6,500 people. Of which, nearly 4,000 are students. It’s very much a college town. I usually get my coffee and a breakfast burrito locally at Tributary and buy my flies and gear at Gene Taylor’s. If I need a sandwhich for the road, it’s City Market or Safeway.
Needless to say, I do not regret taking this trip. It was a great reset. I’ll be back Gunnison Country!
I hope you enjoyed this week’s essay. This newsletter will share more photo entries like this from my adventures, and I hope you stay tuned in.
Dane
P.S. If you are looking for guidance for your adventure, especially with fly fishing tips, I highly recommend a book called Fly Fishing the Gunnison Country by Doug Dillingham.