Just another purty day in the Sumpter Valley. With a gray, morning overcast suddenly breaking up nicely, Eccles Lumber Company Heisler #3 makes a spirited charge past one of the many ponds along the Sumpter Valley Railway, just west of tiny McEwen.
I've been to this location a number of times now, and I can honestly say that it never gets old. Depending upon the weather conditions and the time of year, you could come here a dozen times and never get the same shot. On this particular morning, the breaking overcast left a crown of puffy clouds on the mighty Elkhorn Range to the north, not to mention, a dusting of snow up near the summits. Down in the valley, there was nice, warm sunshine and a little bit of fall color. Add in a narrow gauge Heisler trailing a pretty steam plume and a nifty pond reflection and I'm not sure what else we could have wished for!
Landscape photography is difficult due to the challenge of combining good light and good scenery. Good railroad photography enters another level of complexity since it requires the first two while there is a train in view.
