The Colorado high country offers spectacular photography opportunities, from sweeping Continental Divide panoramas to close encounters with Rocky Mountain wildlife. Here's how to come home with images that capture the magic of your snowmobile adventure.
Camera Gear Considerations
Phone Cameras
Modern smartphones work well if you:
- Keep phone warm (inside pocket when not shooting)
- Use a lanyard to prevent drops
- Remove gloves carefully for touchscreen
- Bring a backup battery pack
Action Cameras
GoPro-style cameras are ideal:
- Helmet mounts capture the ride
- Durable in cold and snow
- Wide angle captures scenery
- No need to remove gloves
Dedicated Cameras
If bringing a DSLR or mirrorless:
- Use a padded camera bag
- Cold batteries drain fast—bring extras
- Let camera acclimate before stops
- Protect from snow and moisture
Shooting Tips
Exposure in Snow
- Snow fools auto exposure—often underexposes
- Add +1 to +2 stops exposure compensation
- Check your histogram
- Shoot RAW for better recovery
Composition
- Include people for scale
- Use leading lines (tracks, trails)
- Capture the mountain backdrop
- Get low for dramatic angles
Timing
- Morning light is often best
- Overcast days reduce harsh shadows
- Stop when light is good
- Sunset tours offer golden hour
Protecting Your Gear
- Keep cameras inside layers when not shooting
- Use a plastic bag when going from cold to warm
- Wipe off snow before it melts on lens
- Silica gel packets help absorb moisture
Cold Weather Challenges
Battery Life
Cold kills batteries. Solutions:
- Carry batteries in inside pocket
- Swap batteries when cold
- Bring more batteries than you think
- Fully charge everything beforehand
Touchscreens
- Capacitive gloves work but are imprecise
- Use physical buttons when possible
- Pre-set camera modes before going out
What to Capture
- Mountain panoramas at scenic stops
- Action shots of other riders
- Details: snow crystals, tracks, gear
- Group photos at viewpoints
- Wildlife if you spot any
- Your guide and the machines
Photography Tours
For those focused on photography, our photography tour includes extended stops at scenic locations specifically for capturing images.
Camera settings for snow
Snow scenes commonly trick cameras into underexposing because the meter assumes the bright surface is mid-toned. The fix is to add 0.7 to 1.3 stops of exposure compensation (or shoot manual with the histogram pushed right). Set white balance manually to around 5500K to keep snow looking white rather than blue. Shoot RAW if your camera supports it — you have far more recovery room for the high contrast between bright snow and shadowed terrain.
Composition tricks at high altitude
Alpine landscapes can look flat in photographs because the eye sees the depth of mountain ranges that camera sensors compress. Foreground interest — a snowmobile track, a single tree, a rock outcrop — restores the sense of scale. Long-exposure photographs of moving riders against still mountains create dynamic shots that capture the spirit of a tour. Polarizing filters cut glare from sunlit snow and deepen the blue of high-altitude sky, often producing the most dramatic results when the sun is at a 90-degree angle to your shot.