



In A Galaxy, Not-So-Far Away...
The idea for this photoshoot came to me back in 2022 on a blustery winter hike with my friend, Kat. In true Colorado fashion, we left the parking lot under clear blue skies, setting out for what we expected to be a peaceful sunrise hike. As we reached the frozen lake, the world felt still—pristine, quiet, and completely ours. We were the only ones there, marveling at the frozen beauty of St. Mary’s Glacier.
But as we continued our climb, the wind picked up and the visibility dropped. The sky turned white, the landscape barren and icy. I turned to Kat and said, “This feels exactly like Hoth.” The idea was planted.
Fast forward to 2024: my two wonderful friends, Jorge and Alley, got engaged. Both die-hard Star Wars fans, they were immediately on board when I floated the idea of doing a Hoth-inspired engagement session—lightsabers, costumes, the whole galactic vibe. We weren’t just going to take engagement photos. We were going to tell a story.


Location Scouting
 
Hiking up to St. Mary’s Glacier in March feels like stepping into a snowy wonderland. It’s about a mile from the parking lot to the lake, and during this time of year, the whole thing is frozen solid—super cool to see! The trail is usually covered in snow and ice, so good boots (or microspikes) are a must. The views at the top are totally worth it—especially with that wide-open, icy lake surrounded by mountains. Just a heads up: the parking lot costs $20 and only takes cash, so make sure you bring some with you!

Who Knew That Lightsabers Could Freeze?
We rolled up just after sunrise, thermoses full of hot chai and backpacks stuffed with camera gear and—of course—lightsabers. Because what’s a Star Wars shoot without a little glow?
The park rangers gave us a friendly warning: “It’s really cold up there.” But we were on a mission. There was fresh powder from an overnight snow, and since we were the first ones on the trail, we lost the path a couple of times. Let’s just say… GPS was the real MVP.
By the time we reached the lake, the windchill had dropped the temperature to a bone-chilling -10°F. It was basically Hoth—mission accomplished.
And then came the real Jedi moment: Alley stripped off her outer layers and stepped into full Princess Leia mode—braids, boots, and all. Absolute legend. We grabbed our gear, locked in the camera settings, and got to work.
The lightsabers? Not so cooperative. They were so cold they refused to turn on, and when I took my gloves off to mess with them, they froze to my fingers. Like… actually stuck. The Force was clearly testing us.
We shot fast, racing against the cold. I sprinted up a snow-covered hill to get the wide-angle hero shot while Jorge and Alley nailed their poses below like pros. We were freezing, laughing, geeking out, and making magic.
And in the end? We got exactly what we came for: epic, cinematic, wonderfully nerdy Star Wars engagement photos—straight from our very own slice of Hoth.
