Owl Creek Pass is located in the Uncompahgre National Forest of southwestern Colorado. Surrounded by the Cimarron Range, which towers above groves of aspen, spruce, firs and scrub oak, this area is surely one of the most scenic in Colorado.

Travelers passing through Ridgway can access this area by taking County Road 8, which is adjacent to the Ridgway Reservoir, all the way to the pass. Those coming from the north can access the area through Cimarron Road off of U.S. Route 50. Those accessing from Cimarron Road should note that it turns into County Road 858. Take this past Silver Jack Reservoir until you come to County Road 861, which will split to the right. Take this as you cross over the East Fork of the Cimarron River and come to a “Y” intersection. Keep right to veer onto County Road 860 as it twists and turns around Turret Ridge, taking you high up to Owl Creek Pass itself.

Both routes are well-maintained gravel roads suitable for any vehicle in good weather. Use caution and high-clearance four-wheel drive if there’s inclement weather in this area.

Weather At Owl Creek Pass

Due to the high elevation of this mountain pass, the road to Owl Creek Pass is closed during the winter months by heavy snow. From late spring to fall, you can experience almost any weather conditions. Snow, hail, thunderstorms, rain and thick fog can occur any time of the year here. Temperatures can vary from the 90s in the summer months to the low teens in the fall and winter. During fall, temperatures average in the mid to low 60s during the day, making it comfortable for hiking around the forests. At night, expect the temperatures to drop to near freezing. Always be prepared for any kind of weather here, as with any mountainous area. Conditions can change at a moment’s notice.

Photo Experience

One might expect this area to be crowded with large groups of photographers; however, compared to many other areas of southwest Colorado, it’s possible to find plenty of places to photograph by yourself. Roadside shooting offers many options for those who prefer not to hike.

Lenses ranging from 16mm all the way to 600mm focal lengths can be useful to photograph grand vistas, intimate forest scenes and even the occasional wildlife like elk and bears. My preferred lens while exploring this area was my 70-200mm. Even at 70mm, I was able to photograph some grand vistas and the colorful swaths of autumn foliage on the mountainsides.

Getting off the beaten path is easy as well with trails to take you up into the mountains and wilderness areas. There’s certainly no shortage of options for outdoor photographers in this area.

Best Times To Visit Owl Creek Pass

While late spring and summer can provide lush green forests and beautiful wildflower blooms, fall certainly seems like the best time to photograph and explore this area. With a rainbow of colors changing in early October and the mountains rising high above it all, it really is a picture-perfect time to be here. Aspen colors can range from lime green to red in some areas and create beautiful contrasts with those cloudy blue skies or, if you’re lucky, a vibrant sunrise or sunset. The scrub oak on their own provide a pretty spectacular show as well with orange, yellow, red and green intertwined with groves of aspens and even cottonwoods. With comfortable afternoon temperatures and the crisp autumn evenings, fall is my favorite time to be there.

Contact: U.S. Forest Service, fs.usda.gov/detail/gmug.

See more of Peter Coskun’s work at pjcphotography.com.

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Sigma today revealed two new primes in its I series of lenses offered in L-mount and Sony E-mount, the Sigma 24mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary and 90mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary. The new lenses are priced at $639 each and have expected availability later this month.

Sigma 24mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary

The new lenses join the three I series primes introduced last year, the 24mm F3.5 DG DN | Contemporary, 35mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary and 65mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary. Sigma positions these lenses as premium models with compact designs and all-metal bodies, “built to the mechanical and operational standards of Sigma Cine lenses.” Both of the new lenses feature mechanical aperture control rings magnetic metal lens caps.

Sigma 90mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary

You can preorder the new lenses (24mm F2 DG DN / 90mm F2.8 DG DN) beginning today at B&H and other online retailers. For additional details, see the press releases below.

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Two stylish primes added to SIGMA I Series
SIGMA 35mm F2 DG DN ｜Contemporary – New
SIGMA 24mm F3.5 DG DN ｜Contemporary
SIGMA 45mm F2.8 DG DN ｜Contemporary
SIGMA 65mm F2 DG DN ｜Contemporary
SIGMA 90mm F2.8 DG DN ｜Contemporary — New

In the era of mirrorless cameras, the balance between performance and size is even more crucial. There is a growing demand for “compact, high-performance, high-quality lenses” and Sigma responds to this call with the introduction of the “I” series of full-frame mirrorless exclusive lenses.

Available for L-Mount and Sony E mount, DG indicates full-frame and DN indicates mirrorless-exclusive de-sign.

The I Series represent a new option: Premium Compact Primes that are stylish in appearance with impressive specifications and optical performance.

Built to the mechanical and operational standards of Sigma Cine lenses, in compact mirrorless form, the I se-ries have outstanding feel and tone in the hand. The feel of the manual focus ring, aperture ring, and switches embody true functional beauty.

Two new I series lenses are being announced:

• 24mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary
• 90mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary

The two new lenses join the The 24mm F3.5 DG DN | Contemporary, 35mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary, 45mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary, and 65mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary in the I series.

Key I series Lens Features:

• All I Series lenses feature an all-metal body, with high-precision metal internal parts, and a metal hood.
• All I Series lenses feature a manual aperture ring and knurled surfaces for an enjoyable tactile expe-rience.
• The F2 I series lenses have comparable MTF chart optical performance to SIGMA DSLR F1.4 Art lenses
• The 24mm F2, feature a newly-designed arc-type auto/manual focus switch, a dust and splash-resistant ount, a knurled lens hood, and magnetic lens caps, as do the 35mm F2 and 65mm F2.
• The 24mm F3.5 shares 055 filter thread diameter with the 45mm F2.8 DG DN C and the new 90mm F2.8 DG DN C, which makes for a very compact system that can accept the same filters and lens caps*, perfect for travel, adventure, etc where compactness and versatility really matter.

• An optional magnetic cap holder (CH-11) features a mini-carabiner for clipping on to a camera bag, jacket or belt loop, and has a donut-style center hole to easily pop off a cap when it is time to place back on the lens.

*45mm is not compatible with the metallic magnetic caps.

Additional Notes:

• The currently released I series lenses are in the Contemporary line, however there may be potential for Art and Sports lenses to be similarly constructed.
• The I series designation / nickname represents the build characteristics and styling of these new lenses. It is not a new product line alongside Art, Sports and Contemporary.
• Operational Note: Please ensure in-camera optical correction is [ON].
• Operational Note: Please set the electronic front curtain shutter to “OFF” before shooting.

New Product Specifications:

SIGMA 24mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary
Lens Construction: 11 groups, 13 elements (1 FLD, 2 SLD, and 2 aspherical lenses)
Angle of view: 84.1°
Autofocus Motor: STM
No. of Diaphragm Blades: 9 rounded
Min. Focus Distance: 24.5cm
Max. Magnification Ratio: 1:6.7
Filter Size: 62 mm
Dimensions (DxL): L-Mount: φ70mm×72mm
Weight: 365 grams

SIGMA 90mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary
Lens Construction: 11 elements in 10 groups, with 5 SLD and 1 aspherical lens elements
Angle of view: 27.0°
Autofocus Motor: STM
No. of Diaphragm Blades: 9 rounded
Min. Focus Distance: 50cm
Max. Magnification Ratio: 1:5
Filter Size: 55mm
Dimensions (DxL): L-Mount: φ64mm×59.7mm
Weight: 295g

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