Blue Lakes

The sun was just starting to rise off the crest of the mountains, fog lifting from the valleys below when Tianna opened her eyes. Stretching as much as she possible in her one-man tent, she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and peered through the netted window. 

Shards of light peeped through the mist and birds were starting to sing. The shuffle of little feet outside her tent let her know the squirrels were finding the peanuts she had left for them the previous night. 

Squinting her eyes as she crawled out of the small door of the tent she tried to focus. The forest was still casting shadows, as the sun tried to make its approach. Streams of light weaved between groves of pines that covered the mountain. 

It had taken her all day to hike to this spot, but it was worth it. She had found a perfect clearing to set up camp. She was only one ridge away from her photo location which would take less than three hours to hike to as long as the weather permitted. 

The ground was soft with moss and very few rocks. Five minutes of her time removed any trace of debris that would make her sleep uncomfortable. Not that she had never slept in uncomfortable places to get her pictures. 

 Serbia in the dead of winter. Icicles as long as her arm hung from the roofs of the hotel, her room although heated was not warm and cozy. The metal bed creaked when she moved, and the wool blanket was itchy. The sky outside was hazy and gray in the middle of the day, but the stars at night shining on the freshly laden snow made for the most amazing postcard pictures for the travel magazine.  

But this place, this was paradise. San Juan Mountains of Colorado.  

Tianna had worked for the travel agency for almost seven years now. She worked her way up from assistant to one of the top photographers they had. She got the top locations and best shoots. But they weren’t always the easiest.  

She had a big day ahead of her. Squatting next to a tree to relieve herself she smiled at a squirrel who was making haste with a peanut. 

“Ah so you’re the one that got the treats?” 

“Chchchchch,” the squirrel made chittering noises as if to say, “thank you.” 

“You’re welcome.” Tianna responded. 

A granola bar with peanut butter spread on it and a bottle of water was breakfast. Tianna needed energy for the hike ahead but didn’t want to be weighed down by food. Plus, she always packed light for these types of shoots. Her camera bag held two different types of digital cameras and extra batteries, and then she had her tent which when rolled up correctly fit into her backpack. So, when it came to food, she chose small foods with protein and carbs. Granola bars, peanuts, peanut butter. And she always made sure she had plenty of water. 

Tent rolled up and placed in her backpack and camera bag over her shoulder, Tianna started the journey that would lead her to her photo destination. She had seen it from overhead a few days before when she hired a helicopter guide to fly her over the mountain and give her the layout of the land. 

She was there to take pictures of the Blue Lakes, but not up-close pictures like everyone else did. No, she wanted the world to see them from above. And she wanted all three lakes, which meant she had to be at a higher elevation. 

“That’s some dangerous territory you’re getting into.”  

The guide had warned her the area she pointed at was steep and sometimes unstable. The ledges were known to crumble at times. She had seen a ledge jutting out of the side of the forest and she knew that was the spot. 

Back on the ground she was able to secure a map and the guide walked her through the hike, from where they stood to where she wanted to stand. There were trails to follow, but as she got higher, the way became more primitive and only the most seasoned hikers would venture there. 

The sun was high in the sky as she reached the edge of the woods and saw the rocky ledge that she had seen from the sky. Her ribs expanded as she took a deep breath of mountain air and started making her way unto the ridge. 

She cursed as the wind whipped her long hair around her face, realizing her hair tie was still in her backpack, which she left at the edge of the woods. Retracing her steps, she made her way back to her bag and pulled out the tent. Wrappers crinkled and keys jangled but soon enough she had her hand around the bag of rubber bands she always carried with her. 

People had suggested that she cut her hair, but she loved her brunette locks. She was blessed with good thick hair and when she wanted to fancy herself up, her hair was her greatest attraction. She chose to wear it in a tight ponytail when she was working, no muss no fuss. 

Ponytail secure, Tianna headed back out onto the ledge. Peering over the side, her eyes widened as her heartbeat quickened. The view was everything she knew it would be. In the valleys below were the bluest lakes she had ever seen.  

The lower lake with its crystal-clear waters reflected the mountains around it, the middle lake was even bluer, as if the sky itself came down to float in the serene waters. The upper lake shone like a mirror; Tianna imagined herself staring at her reflection if she were close enough to lean over the pristine water.  

Pebbles rolled across the rocky ledge as she sat down and pulled her camera out of its bag. She loved the fact that professional cameras had gotten smaller over the years and were much easier to hold. Especially in these type of situations. 

Tianna rolled onto her stomach inching slowly towards the edge of the ledge. The wind had picked up even more and the pebbles were being swept over the edge. Tianna’s heartbeat sped up as it always did when she was in these dangerous situations. 

“Why do I risk my life every time?” 

Peering over the edge once more, she watched a Bald Eagle swoop into the lake below then rise into the air with some type of fish in his claws.  

“Oh yea, this is why.” 

Her camera clicked away as she followed the flight of the eagle until it was out of sight. Then she turned her attention to the blue water below her. Wrapping the cord of the camera around her wrist to secure it, she leaned even further over the ridge, allowing her arms to fall forward and she focused the shot. 

A stream of sunlight hit the water just as she clicked and the image on her screen took her breath away. 

“This will be the shot.”  

She noticed a deer emerging from the forest with two young fawns in the middle lake and turned her camera towards them, zooming in. She appreciated her camera even more as the stills looked like she could have reached out to touch them. 

Once she had enough pictures she scooted back along the ridge until she could easily sit up. A gust of wind caught her shirt and pulled her close to the edge as she dug her hills in to stop the movement. Her body was inches from going over the side when she finally stopped sliding. 

“One of these days, someone is going to find my body off the side of a mountain, or under some snow avalanche, but hey, there will be some hella good pictures on my camera when they do.” 

She looked at a squirrel staring at her from a nearby tree as she finally managed to get to her feet and off the ledge. 

“Where you gonna just let me die? Oh, you were hoping I would so you could see if I had any more peanuts in my bag."

The squirrel chittered at her before turning and heading up the tree. Tianna sniffed the air and felt a chill wrap around her. 

“Rain is coming.” If she got caught in the rain from this height she could freeze. She packed up quickly, grabbed another granola bar and headed back down the mountain.