San Juan Mountains Colorado
Trip
Report – July 2008
We had two separate but overlapping groups this year. Kurt and Toni and friends, Steve and Peggy along with their two sons arrived at the Matterhorn NF campground on Wednesday and left on Sunday morning while the rest of us arrived on Friday or early Saturday. Some left on Monday and two parties headed home on Tuesday.
The campground host greeted us with the news that it had rained every day for the last 14 days. It continued that pattern for the 1st couple of days and nights but cleared during the day on Sunday and only sprinkled off and on a little on Monday.
This is a view from our campsite
On Saturday morning we all joined together to take a new trail that took us up into the upper levels of the Lizard Head Peak area. It was easy going but scenic.
Indian Paintbrush along the trail
Our lunch stop
When we pulled off the main trail for lunch we had to wait for this fawn to get off the trail where he had decided to lay down for a nap. After eating, I was able to get this photo of the fawn.
A Kodak moment on the trail
Pat, Donna, Connice, Dawson & I visited a nearby waterfall after returning to camp Saturday
Sunday we went over Ophir Pass to get on the right side of the mountain to return to Telluride via Black Bear Pass. We stopped at the crest of Ophir Pass so the kids could play in the snow. They had a lot more snow than normal this past winter but all the rain had eliminated most of it.
Dawson by the falls near camp Bridal Veil Falls on Black Bear Pass
The wild flowers were generally later than normal but we found very nice blooms on Black Bear.
We stopped for some time on the ascent of Black Bear Pass to enjoy the view and to photograph the flowers. All had a good time, as you can see from the photo below.
Columbine will grow almost anywhere if the moisture is right
A boulder had fallen onto the narrow upper switchback trail, which made for an interesting squeeze to get by. I’m glad it wasn’t raining hard when we went over this area, as the potential for more rock fall was very real.
Donna gets some pictures of Telluride in the valley below
On Monday the two remaining parties went over Cinnamon Pass and visited American Basin. The flowers were outstanding. More pictures will be posted soon on the photo pages along with Kurt and Toni’s photos from Imogene Pass which they did before we arrived.
Ron Finger