travel advice Ouray, Silverton, Telluride CO

[randallwade]

Hello all,

I am taking a trip to southern Colorado in a week or so to the mentioned locations with the main purpose of photographing the landscape, wildflowers etc. We are renting a Jeep for 2 days and are planning on taking the Alpine Loop and visiting Yankee Boy Basin. Does anyone here know this area. And, if so, do you have any recommendations for must see locales? From what I can tell the whole area is top notch, but looking for some personal insight.

R. Wade

[robertwgross]

I can't provide any details, but that road from Silverton to Ouray is fantastic, especially if you can hit it late enough in the season that the trees are most colorful, yet early enough before fall screws things up.

I first rode through there as a child, and it was etched in my brain.

I drove back through there as an adult, and the new images were overlaid with the old ones still in my brain.

I recommend it.

---Bob Gross---

[clorich]

Wow, somebody else who's heard of Ouray! I was there fifteen years ago next month. Here are a couple of pictures from that trip. Definitely get yourself a good topo map and talk to someone there who knows the 4wd trails well. Drive Black Bear Rd. if you have the guts...I don't. I hear it is spectacular. My parents took these witn an old Minolta 35mm (and that's all I know about it).

The town of Ouray from a great campground just above it. Sorry I don't know the name or exactly how to get there, but I'm pretty sure it is to the east of town. It has a natural amphitheater, and that may be in the name as well.
http://home.earthlink.net/~cl30cl/images/ouray03.jpg

We drove a couple of Jeeps up around Lizard Head (rock formation in the center of the ridge line). There's an interesting old logging ghost town up there too.
http://home.earthlink.net/~cl30cl/images/ouray04.jpg

Some of the roads up there are incredible. This one goes to down to the left just like it goes up to the right. That's our black Jeep in the center.
http://home.earthlink.net/~cl30cl/images/ouray02.jpg

This is me in front of Mt. Idontrememberwhatitscalled. I was a bit smaller than I am now. :wink:
http://home.earthlink.net/~cl30cl/images/ouray05.jpg

If you get a chance, get to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. It isn't far away and at 2700 feet deep, probably one of the most interesting this side of Arizona.
http://home.earthlink.net/~cl30cl/images/ouray01.jpg

I got out to Colorado Springs last summer and did a good bit of hiking. I brought my G2 along for all of it. Pike's Peak:
http://home.earthlink.net/~cl30cl/images/springs01.jpg

I'm a lot bigger now.
http://home.earthlink.net/~cl30cl/images/springs02.jpg

Hanging lake. It's in Glenwood Canyon right along I-70. The hike is about 1 mile up so it isn't too difficult. Incredibly beautiful and worth the stop along the way. Maybe pack a lunch up and make a picnic of it.
http://home.earthlink.net/~cl30cl/images/springs03.jpg

http://home.earthlink.net/~cl30cl/images/springs04.jpg
[/img]

[Penguin_101_1]

You should go on up to Rocky Mountain National Park!