Sometimes you just have to be a bit spontaneous and get out of the house for a weekend. I don’t know about you, but that’s gotten harder to do as my little family has grown. There’s always an excuse, the long week, the t-ball game, the housework before Monday. But when you make the choice to get out there and have an adventure, it’s always worth it! From the Animas River in Eureka to the top of Molas Pass, I loved every minute of being out in the high country with my family.

San Juans Trip | Albuquerque Photographer

Despite the long drive, I knew that getting out of the heat and into the mountains would be a fun time. The kids couldn’t wait to start exploring, so we went down to the water as soon as we finished setting up our campsite. Walking out on railroad ties over the water… check. Picking up rocks bigger than their heads… check. Getting amazing pictures with the sun setting in the valley… check! The only thing that got them away from their games was the promise of dinner. They can’t resist our camping go-to: brats and s’mores!

After a surprisingly good nights sleep, we headed into Silverton to watch Derek, Alex, and Will finish the Kendall Mountain Run. (They ran up 3000+ feet and then came right back down! 🥵) After hanging out for a bit at the finish line, we took some time to explore the downtown area. Silverton has such a cute main street! Unfortunately, I was too busy sipping my coffee from Coffee Bear and watching my kiddos run around to take any pictures of it. After the kids burned off a little energy, we headed to Molas Pass for a hike. Despite the altitude – 11,000 feet is no joke – our little guy led the way the whole time. He wanted to see the views, find the animals, and dip his toes in the lake. Our backpack rider on the other hand… well, she didn’t see many views on the way back to the car.

I hope you love these shots from our weekend getaway as much as I do. Changing it up from being just an Albuquerque photographer was a blast. If you’re ever interested in getting a family photo session, some life with the kiddos shots, or anything else you have in mind, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I hope I can participate in your journey and make some awesome memories with you.