San Juan Mountains, Colorado

[FishPOET]

Sunday August 5 we still had folks arriving at camp so we had a short run close to camp that left after lunch. We ran the Clear Lake Trail.

I had a Strait Edge II inflatable kayak on the top of my Jeep but we ended up not using it as the weather turned real nasty shortly after arriving at Clear Lake. We stuck it out for a half hour or so in the rain and hail before heading back to camp.

All my Clear Lake pics can be found here.

There are 2 waterfalls on the way to Clear Lake. This one we drove to.






And this one we hiked to.


The trail up to Clear Lake


Mike and the valley below Clear Lake


Dinner was at The Bent Elbow

[FishPOET]

Monday August 6 we ran 3 trails. The first was Engineer Pass.

We met at Animas Forks at 9am.


From there we headed up to Oh Point and then up to Engineer Pass.

Larger copy of the panorama can be seen here

Hey Randy...show us your tits


Sergio


Russ


More Engineer Pass photos can be seen here

[FishPOET]

From Engineer Pass there is a little used spur that goes to Schafer Gulch and Hurricane Basin. We took that spur

We found a wonderful waterfall.




And an old mine with lots of old equipment and a 20 bed boarding house.






More Schafer Gulch and Hurricane Basin photos can be seen here.

To be continued...

[RAT]

OK the photos are starting to load at Flikr so here are some of the trip:
On our way to Colorado we stopped through Monument Valley and Valley of the Gods. We saw the goose necks in VOTG and Mike took Mr Green up my favorite hiway everrrr, the Moki Dugway
Monument Valley

Valley of the gods005 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


Valley of the gods004 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


Valley of the gods001 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

VOTG (The Gossenecks)

Valley of the gods007 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


Valley of the gods008 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Mrs Green

Valley of the gods006 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Waiting on more photos to load, be back in a while

[RAT]

We stopped at a lot of places along the way. This was just West of Mesa Verde

Road out and Silverton001 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Horses, of courses

Road out and Silverton003 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


Road out and Silverton002 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Road between Durango and Silverton, CO. It's hard to drive and not look at the scenery. And the road is very curvy

Road out and Silverton004 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

[RAT]

Random pics of the week in Silverton

Ophir Pass

Ophir pass006 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


Ophir pass005 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


Ophir pass001 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Road out to Animas Forks

First day out005 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


First day out004 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


First day out003 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

First day out002 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

[RAT]

More pics...
Animas Forks area


First day out011 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


First day out012 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


First day out014 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Ruffing it???

First day out015 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


First day out017 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Old mining equipment. Wooden pulleys and wheels. Damn...

First day out019 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

The crew

First day out021 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

The week was full of shelf roads (all for you Mitch)

First day out022 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


First day out023 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


First day out024 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Way up there

First day out026 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


First day out027 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Hiking trail above 11,000 feet

First day out030 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Melt lakes all over the place

First day out033 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


First day out034 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


First day out035 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Da Bear... Chuck should have a way better pic of this guy. I spotted him across a canyon while we were taking a break. I didn't have the right lens with me.

First day out037 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Old mine, or fire wood pile??

First day out038 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Most all of the mines we visited are well over 100 years old.

First day out040 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Dam used to power the mine

First day out041 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Cool slot canyon

First day out042 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


First day out043 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


First day out044 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Sheeple

First day out045 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

These guys were being hearded by a couple of really cool dogs. Ozzi wanted to go chase the sheep but would have been eaten in short order so...

First day out046 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

[FishPOET]

After running Schafer Gulch and Hurricane Basin we returned to Engineer Pass and continued on towards Lake City.

Cabin with a bridge over a gorge for access


We had lunch at Whitmore Falls


We saw the Rose Lime Kiln


Capital City is for sale


We spent some time at the Ute Utay Mine




And we finished the trail in Lake City and had an ice cream break.


To be continued...

[FishPOET]

After leaving Lake City we drove past Lake San Cristobal and headed up the Cinnamon Pass Trail.

We stopped at the Sherman Townsite Interpretive Area


It started to rain heavy as we climbed the steep switchbacks.


We persevered and reached the top of the pass.


The rain only seemed to bother one sourpuss


Thankfully it was the last day that we would have heavy afternoon rain.

More Cinnamon Pass photos can be seen here

As we reached Animas Forks we had planned on running Eureka Gulch a few miles down CR2. We ran into a landslide the was completely blocking the road.

We had to turn around and take California Gulch to Hurricane Pass to CR110 and back to Silverton.

To be continued...

[FishPOET]

Tuesday August 7 we ran 3 trails. First trail of the morning was Black Bear Pass

Black Bear Pass is arguably the most famous 4WD trail in the country. C.W. McCall even wrote a song about Black Bear Road

The steep switchbacks leading from the pass down to Telluride are so steep and narrow that they are one way travel downhill only.

Climbing up from the Million Dollar Highway trailhead


Near the pass


Black Bear Pass 12,840'


Going down into Ingram Basin


Swinging out over Ingram Creek and Telluride


Telluride 3000' below


Switchbacks


Bridal Veil Falls and Powerhouse


View of the switchbacks


More Black Bear Pass photos can be seen here

To be continued...

[mrchips]

Great pictures looks like you had a great trip.

[RAT]

Looks like my pics caught up to Dougs...

second day001 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


second day002 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


second day005 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


second day007 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


second day008 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


second day012 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Mitch, where are you?!

second day013 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Mine at the top of Black Bear Pass switch backs

second day016 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Telluride WAY down below

second day017 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Doesn't look like much but these switchbacks were tight, and if you make a mistake, it's a longggg way down

second day018 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Whew!

second day019 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Another happy traveler

second day021 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


second day023 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

The LWB crowd had fun too

second day024 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

And this, everywhere you turn...

second day025 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

[RAT]

Black Bear and Imogene cont...

So many mines.

second day026 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Don't you wish you could have lunch here?

second day027 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


second day028 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Powder house?

second day029 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


second day030 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


second day033 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

This was definitely a trip full of WOW!

second day034 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

My Jeep What?

second day035 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Doug was looking to take the fast way down...

second day036 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

And had a follower or two

second day037 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


second day038 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Incredible beauty everywhere

second day039 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Did I mention mines?

second day040 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

[dirtman13]

Doug, Do you have a high res of this one?

[RAT]

Last Dollar Road (aka the rainiest day)
It rained, it hailed, it lightning and thundered but still the weather could not deter us

Last Dollar road015 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


Last Dollar road016 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


Last Dollar road014 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

A wet Rat on Last Dollar

Last Dollar road012 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

I want to come back here in the fall... Aspen groves covering whole valleys and hill sides

Last Dollar road011 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


Last Dollar road006 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


Last Dollar road001 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

The obligatory plant shot

Last Dollar road002 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

I have tons more pics coming....