Mount Cook Autumn Snow 8622M

     Autumn was in full swing on the South Island of New Zealand and the hills around Lake Tekapo were painted in golds and red. On the nearby mountains crowned by Mount Cook in this image, it was an entirely different season. A heavy and seasonally early snowstorm covered the higher elevations in a blanket of white and provided a strong visual contrast to the lower lands. The low, early morning light brought out the texture in the mountain sides while highlighting the fall colors in the valley trees.