Rainstorm on the Great Sand Dunes

Regularly when flying and exploring in the backcountry, I come upon scenes that are simply awe inspiring. Such it was this day when flying on the eastern side of the San Luis Valley in high desert Colorado along the Great Sand Dunes National Park.  

It was overcast and as I love having clouds in my images to provide a dramatic backdrop or element to the landscape, I was chasing the edge of a fast moving early spring rainstorm that was travelling east across the Rocky Mountains Sangre de Cristo Range.  

While making a wide 360° turn to setup a wide shot of the storm I came upon this view. There is a lot going on in this image so let me detail it. 

I am on the edge of the storm, it is north of me as you can see blue skies above and the storm going out over the horizon. The purplish hued Great Sand Dunes are on the edge of the desert where you can see the umber golden sand dunes of the desert covered with the yellow dots of early spring flowers.  

On the right side a large shadow plays across the desert floor, this is from a huge towering thunderhead that is building up above me as the storm gets slowed and backed up by the mountains where they do a sharp turn south towards Taos, New Mexico. 

Rain is pouring heavy on part of the Great Sand Dunes but on the top right you can see shadowy silhouettes of Morris Gulch where Mosco Creek comes off of Carbonate Mountain.  

Following the raging rain on the dunes to the left you can barely make out the shape of Mount Zwischen and to its left the rain begins to subside over Little Medano Creek. 

To the far left we see the rain has stopped and we see the snow covered peak of Mount Herard.  

So there it is…. Many different elements make up a cool scene and in my eye, this has a few. I hope you like this pic and I appreciate your support!   

This image is from my ongoing project in which I am trying to raise awareness of the 47% of the USA and 90% of Canada that remain unpopulated wilderness.  

Where Eagles Fly - The American Wilderness Expedition is my personal mission to introduce people to these amazing locations that surround us.  

If you are interested in helping with this project I would love to have your assistance! Please consider upvoting or donating and then resteemit so that others may experience these wondrous places as well.  

Yehaw!!