Location: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

I can’t say for certain, but I think it is safe to say that this is a moment that will not repeat itself any time soon. My sister and I had hiked through the snow to catch sunrise in Rocky Mountain National Park from one of its best short hikes up to Dream Lake. About halfway, an incredible orange and purple sunrise began to appear on the eastern horizon, so we found a snowy hillside to watch and take pictures. However, at one point I looked over my shoulder and saw the most amazing sight: A rainbow – or more accurately a snowbow – in the snowy mist to the west. I sprinted as fast as I could through the snow the half mile to Dream Lake to capture the snowbow perfectly framing Hallett Peak and Flattop Mountain. I was getting blasted by ice and snow directly into my camera, and within seconds the whole scene disappeared, so I really didn’t know whether I had captured it…and only minutes later I dropped my lens, breaking it. Thankfully, once in a sheltered spot I found I captured one or two frames of this incredible scene.