Pictures: Lyle Such

Camera: Canon 5d Mkiii

We decided to take a long weekend trip to Colorado, flying in via Albuquerque to save a little bit of drive-time between our destinations. November is an off-season month for Southern Colorado, so it seemed like a good time to see the area without being surrounded by crowds of travelers.

Our first stop was at the Great Sand Dunes National Park outside of Alamosa, Colorado. The plan was to hike into the dunes before sunrise, so that night we drove 45 minutes to the dunes to scope out the parking situation. The roads to the dunes are long and straight, and there isn't much of an elevation change and you're always having to watch out for wildlife. There were elk everywhere, as well as the occasional jackrabbit jumping into the headlight beams of our car and racing ahead of us.

The campground is closed in November, and we missed the turnoff for the trailhead. At first we thought maybe the dunes were completely closed during the off-season. Luckily, on our way out, we discovered the trailhead parking lot, and realized how easy access to the dunes is. After a few minutes of gazing at the stars and realizing how cold the morning would be, we headed back to the hotel, confident in our plans for an early morning hike.

We arrived early morning, shortly before sunrise. We bundled up, and headed in a straight path from the parking lot, across the dried up river bed, and into the enormous dune field. There wasn't really a plan, there's no traditional "path" to take. You just look at where you want to go, and decide on the best route. I led the way, and after a while traversing the more gradual ridges, I decided to head straight up the biggest dune looming ahead of us. Maybe it was a mistake, but I thought it would be fun just climbing and climbing to the point of exhaustion. The entire time the sun was slowly rising behind us, bathing everything in a pink and orange light. It was one of the more surreal landscapes I've encountered. Luckily the sun brought a little warmth, and great picture opportunities.

The easiest paths had footprints showing you the way most hikers choose to go. Once you veer off the ridges, it gets really steep.

700 or so feet of vertical climbing in sand.

The best part about climbing up the dunes, of course, is getting back down. You can rent or bring your own sand boards, but we just ran. We were surprised at the noises coming from the dunes. On our way up you could hear a faint groaning, but on the way down, with every heavy step, it was like a rumbling, groaning giant being stomped on. It made it feel like every step we took was so powerful that we were hurting the ground.

The moon setting just as we were leaving.

Our second destination was Mesa Verde, about 45 minutes outside of Durango, Colorado. The drive in itself is typical Colorado, beautiful views around every corner and a continually changing landscape. As you approach Mesa Verde, the landscape flattens out, which makes the approach to the mesa even more dramatic. As we entered the park, we immediately began the climb to the top, and the views stretched on forever. We plotted our route according to which ruins were open and when we thought the best time would be to visit each one. With photography in mind, we were concerned about the light and how the time of day would affect each set of ruins differently.

Large sections of the park suffer from wildfire damage.

Our first stop was at Balcony House, an east-facing dwelling which can only be entered by a steep set of stairs. Unfortunately visitors aren't allowed to enter most of the ruins during the winter season, so we could only look from the far off view point and imagine what it would be like to climb through this hard to get to structure.

A grasshopper that somehow has evolved to match the road!

Another highlight of Mesa Verde National Park is the Petroglyph Point hike. It was somewhere between 3 and 5 miles, I've read different accounts and nobody seems to be able to agree on the length. Either way, it's a beautiful hike, beginning at the Spruce Tree House and winding along the lower side of the canyon. The first half was a little strenuous, and the trail was narrow. Along the way there are several rock outcroppings and caves, which made us imagine where we would build our own cliff dwelling. Before the return part of the trail, we finally reached the petroglyphs, and of course, interpreted them in our own way since we forgot to bring the guide which contains the explanations. The return hike brought us to the top of the canyon, where we had amazing views and a much flatter hike back to the museum above Spruce Tree House.

During our hike we only came across one couple from Kansas, who were terrified of steep drops-offs. They couldn't bear to watch as we took pictures near the edge of the canyon. One huge benefit to visiting a place like this in the off-season is that you really feel like you're alone and can enjoy without fighting your way through crowds of people. I always feel less rushed when we're alone, and it helps to really take in the surroundings.

View from the top of the canyon looking north.

We had stopped earlier in the day at Spruce Tree House, but the light was still blocked by the cliffs above. We returned after completing the hike to the petroglyphs, and it really payed off. This was the only set of ruins that we were allowed to walk through this time of year, and we were finally able to see up close the details that we couldn't get from viewing the dwellings from far away.

Earlier in the day, the ruins were deep in shadow, masking all of the details. Returning to see Spruce Tree House with proper lighting made all the difference in the world. The more I visit places like this, the more I have learned how the light completely changes the experience, and that it's well worth waiting for.

Our final stop before leaving the park was the Long Palace. Just like the Spruce Tree House, we had visited it earlier in the day when the light was on the other side of the cliff, leaving the entire structure in shadow. Again, our persistence payed off, and the light brought out all the missing detail that the shadow had hidden. This was truly the masterpiece of the area, and I thought rivaled the ruins of Machu Piccu or Chichen Itza. I only wish we had been able to climb down, but this set of ruins is also closed in winter.

After our beautiful trip through Southern Colorado, our return brought us back to Albuquerque. We noticed the landscape dramatically changes as you cross into New Mexico, and we were a little sad to be leaving. Once we arrived in Albuquerque, we had a couple of hours to kill, so what better way than going on an impromptu self-guided tour of Breaking Bad filming locations? We managed to see the White's house, Hank & Marie's house, and the car wash. After stopping at a Vietnamese restaurant for lunch, we also realized we had just eaten next door to Saul's office. It seems like everywhere you go, there is a location to be discovered. I also realized how well the show represented the city...I think if I had to live there I'd probably end up selling meth as well!