Red Mountain

Red Mountain 

Lake, Velocity Basin

Last week more of the snow had melted and the lake was starting to form with only one large patch of ice on the right side. Lots of spring flowers had started to bloom and this was the first sunny day after almost a month of rain.
Just to the north of Red Mountain the late afternoon sun illuminated the mountain. I believe this is Red Mountain #2. Red Mountain #3 and Red Mountain #1 are also nearby. Can you tell they were named by a committee?

Velocity Basin

An 8 shot panorama of Velocity Basin. The first time we were here, July 2, we had to plow through  snow to get here and the entire basin was filled with snow. In this shot some of the snow has melted and the lake is starting to thaw. Lake Como which is on top of the pass is still frozen over and the snow is too deep to get there on the jeep trail from Animas Forks.

Brown's Gulch Trail

A couple of views to the west from 12,000 feet on the Brown's Gulch Trail.

Ridgway Colorado

Ridgway Colorado Looking South

Spent some time in Ridgway Colorado this summer. Great location as it is in a valley half way between Silverton and Telluride which gave us access to a lot of the jeep trails in the San Juan Mountains. Also camping in a condo is more comfortable than a tent.

Ridgway is a neat little town with a population of 962. The guide book says it has 4 pot shops, 16 restaurants, and lists 8 places to get married. It also lists 19 outdoor activities from ballon flights to hot springs.

Colorado Wildlife

More than 100 elk in this herd

This is the third herd of elk we have saw in the area. Also saw a lot of deer and a flock of wild turkeys.

Bears

One bear cub ran across the trail in front of us and we watched it run down into a meadow and start playing with another cub. Knew there must be a mother bear nearby but didn't see it until we went around the next corner. She was slowly walking across the road with another cub which decided to climb a tree. We were close enough to hear her call to the other cubs and when this cub climbed down she lumbered away to the other cubs in the lower meadow.

Waterfalls in the San Juan mountains of Colorado

Near Gladstone

Yankee Boy Basin

Yankee Boy Basin

Yankee Boy Basin

Telluride

South of Ouray

Cunningham Gulch

Cunningham Gulch

Lots of snow fell here in May so there are many waterfall, large and small. Even got snowed on on a jeep trail above Gladstone on the 9th of July.

4th of July, Ouray Colorado