Seemingly, I haven't put up a report in awhile so I'll see if I can kick the rust off, though I have been taking road trips for many consecutive weekends. I took a 4-day weekend last week and hit Crested Butte and then down to the San Juans (Ouray, Silverton, Telluride area). I wanted to get down there as early as possible to see the snow. About half of the roads have recently opened within the past 2 weeks. The rest will open within 10 days. It's a good time to head down there for the locals if you have time.

Now for the pics:


My snow runs are not through yet! I was the first to drive to the Schofield Pass summit this season, though this was the day after my initial solo successful attempt. I tried to crawl through, but the "get out of jail" switch was to no avail. A quick tug from my Tacoma buddy, and I was sure to hit it with some speed on the next attempt!



From Oh! Point, Engineer Pass (~12,850')



From Oh! Point, Engineer Pass



From Oh! Point, Engineer Pass



Engineer Pass (12,800')



The biggest drift of the trip, just below Engineer Pass. Estimated at 15'.



American Basin, near Cinnamon Pass



From American Basin



From atop Picayune and Placer Gulches



Atop Picayune Gulch



California Pass



Looking over to Hurricane Pass and Lake Como from California Pass



Ophir Pass shelf



Bridal Veil Falls (Colorado's tallest at 365'), Telluride




Here are a few larger panoramas:


360-degrees from Oh! Point, Colorado's best mountain panorama (197 KB)

Another one from the same spot (145 KB)

Another one (115 KB)

From atop Picayune and Placer Gulches (79 KB)


For the full report with many more pics, here's the full meal deal:

http://mycolorado.org/images/temp/6-12/index.htm

 

Dude, that is freaking awesome! I took a small trip through Colorado, saw silverton and ouray...Those mountains are absolutely beautifull!

Very nice photos, keep up the excellent work! NIce rig as well!

I envy you for living so close to such beauty!

 

My wife and I always enjoy your pictures Darren. Well done!

 

Awesome! It's great to see what it looks like with the patches of snow on everything.

Let me know when you get that calendar on the market that shows your rig exploring Colorado.

 

Absolutely beautiful pics Darren. I am so ready to head for the mountains on a regular basis.

I have just been too busy to really do anything.

Keep the pics coming for us who have to work too much.

 

as always, you did a AWESOME job. keep up the great work..
and THANKX for sharing..
Ric

 

Awesome pics, Darren. I'm going to miss the trips into the mountains out here but will be able to live them through your trips!

 

Darren, as always I enjoy seeing your pictures. You have a gift for taking just the right shot. Hopefully this year we can see some of those fabulous places as we are getting out more and doing much more sightseeing. Keep those pictures coming and inspiring us Coloradans to get out and see our state.

 

Thanks for all the compliments, guys, and gal! Glad you enjoyed them and I guess the pictures aren't too bad, then!

ktulu, I'm honored that I've elicited your first post on the forum! Welcome to the board and enjoy your stay. It is wonderful to have access to all of this kind of stuff out my backyard. I certainly don't take it for granted.

Christian, I always appreciate your feedback. Glad your wife has enjoyed the pictures, too!

Jeff, I'm not the marketing guy in my family, so I'm not sure the odds are good on a calendar! Good to know there is at least some demand, though!

Ray and Rich, you're putting up a challenge it seems! However, I think I am more than up for it and you can certainly look forward to some more good stuff down the road. Ray, I'll be certain to check with you when I'm headed over in your direction for a possible run up Antero and such when they open up.

Mark, I have a "great mind?!" That's reassuring! Glad I've been able to help you out to a degree. You know, I tried going up to Paradise Divide last weekend, but it was blocked (snow) a little ways short. It shouldn't be too long at all before that's opened up. One of my "must get" shots I have have planned for this year is getting a real good reflection image or two from those ponds up there. I know you'll dig 'em, so I'll be sure to bring them to your attention when I get it on film.

Ric, get your butt out here again and we'll run some more cool stuff!

Darcie, you and Doug say the word and we'll head for the hills.

 

Yep, you got it! The main one I want is of Cinnamon Mtn to the east, which would be a sunset shot. That mountain really lights up with sweet light. I want something similar to yours as well from sunrise or set, as that is looking down the valley to the S, SW, I believe.

 

man, i love that scenery! IM gonna be close enought to make a quick run up there next year. Im moving to flagstaff, AZ and i plan to visit CO alot! I love the snow, trees, and mountains. Im sooo sick of the sonoran desert!

I was gonna save the first post for when i got my 4runner...but man..I just HAD To compliment you on the photography..You do indeed have agreat eye!

So i guess im not gonna be so much of a lurker now..been lurking for a couple of weeks now, just taking in all the info you guys have here, which i thank all of you for!
I know that i should look at getting a 96 4runner, the original plan was to go for a 95...anyways, thats for another thread.

Keep up the great work, and tks for the welcome!

 

im working on it,, you will be the first to know when we head back out,,, we will HAVE to hit Bridal Veil Falls, along with one other place, cant remember the name, the one with your rig and the American flag, think we can make it happen ?
Ric

 

Holy crap!
Colorado is beautiful!

 

Don't say that too loud around here! Got a number of folks on the board from that area. They might just kick you to Flagstaff before you move on your own! Flagstaff is a nice area. Good luck on 4Runner shopping. I'll be interested in what you end up with. Let me know when you venture northeast a bit and we'll see if we can't just get your rig in one of these pictures.




NO! What am I, your travel agent AND guide?! Yeah, it can happen. You know I like road trips! But American Flag Mountain? Why would you want to visit there? You should pick some place scenic! Oh, but I also seem to recall (I have a very good memory) that you said you wanted to hit this place as well! Uh, how much time will you have?! Draw it up and I'll make it happen.




This just in! Yeah, it's okay, I guess.

 

Awesome pic's again Darren!

We'll be up there in early Sept- right after Labor Day! I have a feeling we'll be a couple weeks early for the fall colors, but we can't get the vacation time later in the year. We're staying at Wagon Wheel Gap- plan on doing the Apline Loop and Wheeler Geologic area, maybe Stoney Pass too-

---------------

ktulu-

You've got a lot of opportunities for scenic wheelin' close to you in Flag- you're smack dab in the middle of the largest stand of Ponderosa Pines in the west. Also, you can head east on I-40 to Holbrook, head south to Show Low and check out the White Mountains- good camping, fishing, and lots of wildlife too-

later

 

Crap! Darren, you just added another handfull of locations to my list of places in Colorado I MUST see. I need to meet up with you again and do some more exploring. What have you got on tap for the next few weekends?

 

Thanks, Mark (the other one)! Yeah, you'll definitely be early for the gold rush (aspen). Oh, but you should see it sing in the fall! Here's but one of my favorite shots from last fall from the Owl Creek Pass area, out of Ridgway. I don't believe you took Stony when you were out here last year, but I did update its gallery in my trail report section not too long ago.

Michael, too funny! Man, if you haven't been down there, you better get! The best area in the state shouldn't give you much excuse not to. You're right, though, we need to hook up and do something soon. What am I going to be doing in the coming weeks, you ask? More stuff like the above! This Sunday, I'm going to take some of my photo buddies over Red Cone, and possibly Twin Cone, both near Kenosha Pass. Next weekend, I'm planning on going to the Sangres and will see how far Hermit Pass is open, then taking Medano Pass over to the Sand Dunes to take some more pictures there. I think the following weekend I might head back down to the San Juans. Black Bear will be open and I'm looking forward to running that. I expect that it will open next weekend, though. Being single, I usually only plan about a week out. Any more than that is just too darn difficult!

I think at some point this summer (perhaps early August), I'd like to get an outing scheduled to run Pearl, Taylor, and Schofield Passes along with Italian Creek. So, you can be thinking if you'd want to do those over the course of a weekend. We'll keep in touch.

 

OMG!!!



Darren, thanks for the 10 minute mini-vacation!! You ROCK!!

 

Nice - , must be nice to be a single guy with no kids. Enjoy.

I would imagine you had some scary sections of snowy shelf road somewhere there eh?

 

thats exactly why i hate Darren, he is just too good with that camera, and too nice by sharing the pics, i hate him, Darren, you know im just kidding.
Ric