I went off on a Vision Quest. The ridiculous idea of visiting all the lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado stuck in my spirit. After 34 years, the lifetime dream was realized. But over the years, the game changed, life happened, and the lessons learned were not what I had imagined.

I was told to write the book that I wanted to read. High Altitude Paradise is the story of my search for lakes. But more than a portfolio of lakes, it is a story of family. Of love and loss. It's about the power of wilderness to provide peace and comfort in a challenging world.

I have chosen 110 photographs along with descriptors to add some information about each image. Intertwined with the images are 15 essays I have written in an attempt to make some sense about why someone would spend a small lifetime climbing up and over mountains looking for large puddles of water.