Uploaded January 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
The December sun had just begun to warm the cool morning air as I made my way down to one of Lake Mohave’s hidden gems. After sixty years of photographing the American Southwest’s wild places, from the rangelands of my youth to the towering peaks of the Rockies, I’ve learned that the most magical moments often come when you least expect them. This morning would prove no exception.
As I rounded the final bend in the trail, Lake Mohave stretched before me like a sheet of polished glass. Spirit Mountain – or Avi Kwa Ame as the native peoples know it – rose majestically across the water on the Nevada side, its ancient stone face catching the early light. Puffy white clouds dotted the deep blue desert sky, their reflections perfect mirrors on the lake’s surface. The Colorado River’s life-giving waters, held back by Davis Dam downstream, created this stunning reservoir within Lake Mead National Recreation Area, though you’d never guess this peaceful scene was human-made.
The beach was empty save for three figures – a grandmother and her two young granddaughters, maybe 19 and 12 years old. Their mother stood nearby, phone raised to capture their morning adventure. I hung back, not wanting to intrude, but something about the scene before me begged to be documented. Perhaps it was the way the grandmother’s blonde hair caught the sunlight, or how the girls’ excited voices carried across the still morning air, breaking the silence like bell-clear chimes.
nmosg.com
The December sun had just begun to warm the cool morning air as I made my way down to one of Lake Mohave’s hidden gems. After sixty years of photographing the American Southwest’s wild places, from the rangelands of my youth to the towering peaks of the Rockies, I’ve learned that the most magical moments often come when you least expect them. This morning would prove no exception.
As I rounded the final bend in the trail, Lake Mohave stretched before me like a sheet of polished glass. Spirit Mountain – or Avi Kwa Ame as the native peoples know it – rose majestically across the water on the Nevada side, its ancient stone face catching the early light. Puffy white clouds dotted the deep blue desert sky, their reflections perfect mirrors on the lake’s surface. The Colorado River’s life-giving waters, held back by Davis Dam downstream, created this stunning reservoir within Lake Mead National Recreation Area, though you’d never guess this peaceful scene was human-made.
The beach was empty save for three figures – a grandmother and her two young granddaughters, maybe 19 and 12 years old. Their mother stood nearby, phone raised to capture their morning adventure. I hung back, not wanting to intrude, but something about the scene before me begged to be documented. Perhaps it was the way the grandmother’s blonde hair caught the sunlight, or how the girls’ excited voices carried across the still morning air, breaking the silence like bell-clear chimes.
nmosg.com
