For every 1,000 feet my car climbed up the winding road, the temperature dropped more than 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Pretty soon the pine trees began to wane and were replaced by heaps of snow that had still not melted from the previous winter. I was officially in the tundra.

When most people think of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, they imagine sharp peaks jutting into the sky and elaborate forests dotting the landscape. Those views are plentiful and greatly appreciated, but there is something magical about entering a brand new ecosystem in the “land above the trees”.

Yellow-bellied marmots hang out by the side of the road, greeting park-goers at pullovers. Dwarfed plants cover the ground, strong when it comes to the elements, but fragile when it relates to human interference. This truly is a land of extremes. I shivered, despite my layers, grateful for the strong sun, but cursing the wind that whipped around.

The beauty was unlike anything I had ever encountered. There was something so raw and achingly real about it. The tundra has permanently embedded powerful images into my memory and officially captured my imagination.

* Photo credit: Tyler Minix