Rocky Mountain High: The Beauty of Colorado

Rainbow Over Aspen

A double rainbow is seen over the Prince of Peace Chapel l after a rain storm passes Aspen, Colo. (© Paul Conrad/Paul Conrad Photography)

Paul Conrad The Aspen Times A barn is surrounded by the peaking colors of fall Saturday afternoon Oct. 4, 2008, on an East Sopris Creek ranch in Old Snowmass.

Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times Surrounded on all sides by peaking aspens, Jason Manke of Boulder attempts to choose his angle while photographing the colors along Castle Creek Road Sunday morning September 25, 2005. "They're awesome," he said, "this road is beautiful. I've shot enough to consider the possibility of doing (photography) professionally."

Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times A rainbow from a passing storm arches over the Brand Building after the brief shower drenched Aspen just before sunset Thursday August 18, 2005.

Colorado High

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography - With fresh snow on Capitol Peak, left, and Mount Daly, "Colorado High" hot air balloon floats over Snowmass Village, Colo.

Morning Glow on Sopris

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography - The rising sun bathes Mount Sopris in its warmth as it rises over the Roaring Fork Valley near Aspen, Colorado.

Lazy Day at the Someday Ranch

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography - With a cloud enshrouded Mount Sopris in the background, two horses take in a lazy day at the Someday Ranch in Missouri Heights near Carbondale, Colorado.

Red, White & Brrrrrrrrrrr.....

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography - A red barn along McLain Flats Road after a winter snow storm in Aspen, Colorado. This won an MSNBC Photo of the Week and was 5th place for photo of the year.

Aspen Glow

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography - A grove of aspen trees on Snowmass Mountain seem to explode as the morning sun lights them from behind in Snowmass Village, Colorado.

Independence Sunset

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography - Sunset oaver Indepence Pass on Highway 82 in Pitkin County 20 miles east of Aspen, Colo.

Capitol Peak & Fireweed

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography - Lupine sway in the breeze against a looming Capitol Peak along Capitol Creek near Old Snowmass, Colo.

Building Storm

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography - Billowing thunderstorms are lit by the setting sun at Independence Pass near Aspen, Colorado.

Fallen Aspen Leaf

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography - The late afternoon sun hits a fallen aspen leaf highlighting its dew dappled surface.

Plain Sunset

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography The setting sun silhouettes a windmill on the Great Plains of Eastern Colorado near Rush, 60 miles east of Colorado Springs.

Frosty Weeds

© Paul Conrad/ Pablo Conrad Photography A frost covered weed in during a bitterly cold morning in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Daly and Capitol

© Paul Conrad/ Pablo Conrad Photography Mount Daly, left, and Capitol Peak near Aspen, Colo., are lit by alpen glow as the winter sun sets over the Elk Mountains.

Little America: Red, White, and Blue

© Paul Conrad/ Pablo Conrad Photography - Landscapes from the backseat: the vivid red tanks of Little America while driving along Interstate 80 in southwest Wyoming.

Spring Snow on Aspen

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography Snow covered aspen leaves along Hopkins Avenue outside Zélé Café in Aspen, Colorado.

Crystal Clear

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography - Over 110 years old, the Crystal River Mill in Crystal, Colorado, is surrounded by the changing colors of fall.

Aster in the Fields

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography - Yellow asters dot a hillside at WJ Park near Aspen, Colorado.

Enshrouded Ridge

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography - Low lying clouds shroud a stand of pines on a ridge near Maroon Lake at the base of the Maroon Bells.

Booming Sopris

©Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography - A storm seems to explode over Mount Sopris in Carbondale, Colo.

Ringing in the Night

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography - Stars leave a trail over the Maroon Bells near Aspen, Colorado.

Golden Cotton

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography - The sun backlights a grove of Cottonwood trees along the Fryingpan River just outside Basalt, Colorado.

Spring Snow

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography Spring snow dusts the evergreen along Independence Pass road outside of Aspen, Colorado.

Icy Reflection

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography Red rays from the setting sun are reflected in a pool of water in El Jebel, Colorado.

Capitol Sunset

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography Capitol Peak near Aspen, Colorado, is bathed in the setting sun as fall fills the valley below.

The Highland Bowl

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography A spire juts toward the sky with the Highland Bowl as a backdrop on a bluebird day as seen from Aspen Mountain in Aspen, Colorado.

Fall in the Colorado High Country

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography - Winter and autumn converge near Snowmass Village, Colorado.

Winter's Beauty

© Paul Conrad/ Paul Conrad Photography - A field of snow below Mount Sopris along Thompson Creek Road near Carbondale, Colo., northwest of Aspen.

Into the Skies

© Paul Conrad/ Pablo Conrad Photography - The steeple of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church juts into the sky in Enid, Okla.

Ballooning over the Elks

© Paul Conrad/ Pablo Conrad Photography - A hot air balloon floats between Capitol Peak, left, and Mount Daly above Snowmass Village, Colo., near Aspen.

Dewy Aspen

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography - Dew dappled aspen leaves along Owl Creek Road near Aspen and Snowmass Village, Colorado.

Beautiful Hazard

© Paul Conrad/ Pablo Conrad Photography Vehicles travel along Interstate 80 in southern Wyoming as blowing snow crosses the interstate.

End of Day

© Paul Conrad/ Pablo Conrad Photography A vivid sunset as seen from southern Wyoming along Interstate 80.

Momma & Baby

© Paul Conrad/Pablo Conrad Photography - A mother mountain goat and her kid perch themselves atop boulders along the Mt. Evans Road in Colorado.

Green & Blue

© Paul Conrad/Paul Conrad Photography - A green aspen leaf lies in stark contrast against raindrops on a blue Mercedes parked on Galena Street in Aspen, Colo.

Dumping their load onto Mt. Sopris, passing storm clouds signal the beginning of the mud season Friday afternoon April 9, 2004. Passing storm fronts continue to leave local valleys with rain and peaks with snow in what many call typical Roaring Fork Valley springtime weather. Aspen Times photo/Paul Conrad.

Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times The snow continues to fall on the fence at Owl Creek Ranch as a winter storm passes over the area Wednesday afternoon Nov. 29, 2006.

White flags flap in the breeze near the Sundeck atop Aspen Mountain Tuesday afternoon December 7, 2004. Aspen Times photo/Paul Conrad.