Trip #46 (14): Telluride, CO

July 27 - 30, 2012

Telluride Long Weekend

Friday, July 27
Arrived at the Sunshine campground outside Telluride about 2pm and immediately I could feel the altitude. The campground is at 9,500 feet and all I wanted to do was sleep. So I did, for a few minutes. We just hung around this first night, nothing exciting. We were in spot #2 and Bill had to grill in the rain.

Saturday, July 28
Woke to more gray skies but it let up in time for a great hike at Lizard Head Pass. Really liked this hike, at least the first part, then it got steeper but we plodded on to the Lizard Head view point. We could have gone another mile down to Wilson’s Meadow, but that would have required hiking back UP to return, so we left it at that, all in all a little over 6 miles total. Had dinner in town -- arriving just in time for yet another downpour right as we parked, so bee-lined to Floradora for a quick bite. With this weather we needed more movies, so we now have a Telluride Library Card (and they have a great selection of DVDs).

Looking down toward Trout Lake below.

Clear lake way up there.

Huge Indian paintbrush.

Forget what these are but they were all over.

Finally, a view of the Lizard Head.

And came back to more rain...

Sunday, July 29

Gray skies again this morning…but again it cleared in time for a hike. This time it was Cross Mountain Hike, as suggested by the librarian. Another beautiful hike, just two miles south of the Lizard Head Pass hike, but she neglected to tell us it was ALLLLL uphill. When you finally get to an almost level area, you looking at that lizard head again. We found a place to have lunch and… it started raining again. But it stopped quick and then sun came out. Weird, one minute it looks like January and the next you’re peeling off layers. Coming back down was almost as tiring, though much quicker -- but you had to put on the brakes the whole way down it was so steep. More rain later, but it broke at sunset so I could get out and get some pics from the campground. It’s a nice and small campground, but there’s no where else to go closeby as it’s right off the highway.

So we climbed over 1000 feet in two miles. I felt like the old mule.

Just finished raining, really pretty up there. Such a different feel from even Durango. So close, yet so different.

The other side of the Lizard Head. We just couldn't get ourselves to do this last climb, up up up.

Vermillion Peak from the Cross Mountain Hike. The sun was out long enough to brighten it up.

Aspens through the rain streaked trailer windows.

Sunset from the campground.

 
Monday, July 30
We’re heading home today which is probably why we woke to blue skies. Drove into Telluride before 8am to get breakfast and return the DVDs, and got an interesting shot of the meadow before the sun flooded it with light. Looks like winter. Also saw a herd of elk lounging in the meadow. Nice place, but gotta go. 

Morning in the meadow.

Elk grazing in the meadow.

Aftermath of the Weber Canyon fire near Mancos...I bet the price on that lot is real cheap now.