A mountain elopement in the Rockies always comes with a bit of unpredictability, and this day proved exactly why it’s worth showing up no matter what the forecast says. As we arrived to the trail parking light while it was still dark for this couple’s sunrise elopement, an unexpected storm began to roll through the mountains…

This day started with a 2.5-mile hike into an alpine lake surrounded by rugged peaks. We kept things simple, just the essentials in our packs and plenty of time to take in the views along the trail…