So we are off on an another adventure...
The cast of characters: Sue, Janet, Mary and Randy, Jim and Vikki.
The scene...the Colorado Rockies.
The plan: To backpack 40 miles in 6 days.
But first we had to find our way to Rico...via Las Vegas
A stop at four corners monument
And a cozy tiny house on a river in Rico
The planning includes Jims selection of beer mixes
We carry....he brews
Then off to leave Jims truck at the top of a dirt road
Hopefully we will find it at the end of the trail.!!
And a 5 mile hike back down the road in the rain
2 squished snakes...then a live one
We spend 2 nights acclimating in Silverton
The town is full of ATV's, train riders and cute shops
Someone staying at our hotel told us about the Brass Band
performing at the High School.We enjoyed some rousing music.
The train was in town
We stayed in an old hotel. My room was haunted
We hiked up to the statue honoring the miners...
to practice hanging our bear bags.
We failed knot tying and so headed back to our hotel
for more instruction
And to snow seal our boots.
The next day we are off
in the quest to find Jims truck
We meet a couple of horse riders
The scenery is spectacular with wild flowers
Vicki checks the map but its a well marked trail
The elevation over 11,000 feet forced us to rest often
We arrived at our first campsite to find
that someone had left chairs to sit in
A noodle dinner was quick and good
Water was pumped from a nearby stream
Bear bags are hung for the night
The next day unveiled more passes to cross,
many over 12,000 feet in elevation.
Could this be a bear print?
Beautiful flowers everywhere we look
Marmot scat
A cozy spot for our second night
Marmot homes
Janet pumping from a stream the next morning
We got hailed on a couple of times
I love the weather
We pass the snow line
Here's the hail
One step at a time we reach the saddle,
and new vistas are revealed
Breathing is labored at 12,000 feet,
but this marmot is at home
Then we go down again
Our next campsite is at a pretty lake
Janet and I shared a tent to save weight to carry
Our tooth brushing station
Another cozy campsite
With bear bags hung for the night
A curious deer checks out our campsite
Vicki charges her phone
We discover a waterfall and Vicki
encourages us to climb
Columbine were blooming at the top
The white water flows from a glacial source
Another nice campsite
Janet struggled to put together her 2 legged chair
Jim brews the beer
The next day offers us more high passes
Time to check on our location
Salamanders in a lake
The grey or Robber Jay was a new bird to me
Our next campsite was decorated with skulls.
Randy loses the end of his chair legs
Never to be found...but not for trying
Off to find the hidden pond...source of our water
Tasty vegetable soup
A game of cards before retiring
Frost the next morning
Another pass to cross
Bike riders enjoying doing the trail also
Kicking up our legs on the top of the hill
Lunch on top of the world...looking
at the next pass to conquer
That's the next one ahead
Purgatory ski area in the distance.
The red patch on the left was where we ate lunch
before our descent of our last 12,000 ft pass
One step at a time, breathing deeply
The top at last
Chatting with a bike rider and
cheering as he makes a safe descent.
Me, being the photographer is represented by
my backpack in most of the pictures.
I will get some of me from Janet and add them later.
Janet and I enjoyed our last views
of the flowers and mountains
as we descended into the forest
for our last night.
We bushwhacked across a meadow
to find our last campsite, found by Vicki
Randy cant leave a person to rest
Another pretty water source
An a nice cup of tea
Chicken Teriyaki and another cup of tea
Last night to hang bear bags
The quest to find Jims truck
becomes more intense
We found it...right where we left it 7 days ago.
To add some excitement...Vicki took Jims keys
so he searched in panic...for a few minutes
A hair raising ride down the dirt road to Purgatory
Which way now?
One last river crossing
And we are back in Silverton...ready for a burger
And then an hour north to Ouray
and a house we rented at Weisbaden Spa
Where we soaked in the vapor caves
and relaxing hot water.It was too steamy for photos,
or was it the ancient spirits...whose
echoing sounds we surly heard.
A soak in our own private pool
Ouray is a magical place, situated in a box canyon
surrounded by mountains
with hot water flowing from caves
and rushing down channels in the street.
With its native history
We wander the streets looking for dinner
We managed to do this trip without canned oxygen
even though we were higher than we have ever backpacked
and.....a little older than some. We feel proud and strong.
Two days later, after driving through beautiful Utah,
storms and hot Las Vegas, we are home...dropping off
Randy and Mary and all their "stuff"
Another successful adventure !!!
The end...and added pictures from Janet
The beginning at 4 corners
Four corners...and leaving the truck at the end of the trail
Lunch on the Dolores River....before
The meal before with Marys daughter Michelle in Vegas
and the meal after..a burger in Silverton
Sue, Mary and Janet wore
their new Harem Pants in Ouray
Ouray
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