paddling with a camera

Water in Red Mountain Open Space – Fat Bike Exploration

Written by

Marek

in

As a paddler I am always looking for water. Anytime! Anywhere!

In November 2017 I made several visits to Red Mountain Open Space north of Fort Collins with my new Salsa Mukluk fat bike. I covered all possible trails. Technically, they are easy except some soft gravel and sand (many trails are going simply on dry stream beds or washes). I also did two loops in Soapstone Prairie Natural Area next door. You can check Red Mountain trails on MTB Project.

And, I’ve found some water – not enough for paddling, but plenty for my photography. Here is a little picture story which includes also some images from earlier hiking.

Sand Creek flows across the entire Red Mountain Open Space. You cannot ride a bike through this spectacular canyon. The Bent Rock Trail is for hiking only.
Crossing the Sand Creek at high water may be a challenge, especially, along the Ruby Wash Trail where there are no stepping stones.
Above the canyon, there is a little retention reservoir which turns into marsh in a dry season. Birds love it.
If you ride the K-Lynn Cameron Trail you have chance to cross the Sand Creek twice and a few more times a smaller creek.
Why not to ride along the creek? Well, let’s stay on the trail.
It is difficult to catch water in Red Mountain in the form of snow since the area is closing for winter (December-February). I also believe that this area is getting less precipitation than Fort Collins. Anybody has some data?
In the middle of November I had patches of snow in the Ruby Wash and some drift snow along the Cheyenne Rim.
My favorite drinking hole at the top of Salt Lick Trail. I just cannot pass it without shooting some pictures. A sunset photo session means a crazy ride down on soft gravel of the Ruby Wash with a falling darkness. A fat bike is doing a pretty good job in these conditions. There are more water tanks for cattle in the area which is an active open range.
A little bit of liquid gold – a stream disappearing at the bottom of Ruby Wash
Of course, water shaped all canyons, arroyos and washes here, but that’s another story.
Here is my Salsa Mukluk bike on slickrock at the upper Ruby Wash
All pictures were shot with the mirrorless Sony A7R2 camera with Sony 24-70mm lens. The camera is mounted on a light Gitzo Mountaineer Tripod. This is my minimalist camera set for biking. I carry the camera and tripod in MindShift Rotation 180 Trail backpack.

For hiking I usually take a heavier tripod and, perhaps, one more lens (wide angle or telephoto) in the same backpack.

I am still trying to figure out how to carry the tripod on a bike. Handlebar, perhaps? In my other bikes, the tripod travels on rear racks.

Related posts:
10 pictures from Fat Bike Riding in Northern Colorado
Searching for Paddling Water in Southern Colorado – Part 1 and Part 2
Where to buy and license my pictures and video footage

More posts