Double Rainbow Over Grand Lake, originally uploaded by Pacific Landscapes.

A recent trip to Rocky Mountain National Park has me thinking of my first successful image in RMNP, which is also my first and probably only compelling image of an after-storm rainbow. This scene is Grand Lake, Colorado as seen from the edge of the Grand Lake Lodge. In August of 2006 we were there for a family reunion, and this was one of the winners from the trip.

I’ve never seen such a clear double rainbow before or since, and the moment was adrenaline-charged for me. The smell of ozone after lightning, running in search of the rainbow and my gasp of surprise at seeing a true double-arch all made this an intense physical experience. I now understand why legends persist about gold at the end of a rainbow. Why not, it’s so beautiful, it doesn’t seem crazy that there would be more good fortune in store for anyone who can get there before it fades.