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Photos From Southwestern Colorado Last Week

2K views 9 replies 8 participants last post by  Texas Wrangler 
#1 ·
Here are a few shots of our trip to Colorado last week. We got lucky and were there during the fall color change, and there was just enough snow to make it interesting. This was our first time doing any serious off-roading, and I was basically learning the Jeep and how best to operate it as we went along. One thing is for sure, this Jeep is built like a tank, and I could not be more pleased with it. We did over 3000 miles (on and off road combined) in seven days. My butt is a bit saddle sore, but nothing I won't get over in a day or two.

First trek out, heading up Ophir Pass Trail from the Silverton side:


Posing on a tiny rock:


For a flat-lander from Houston, this is some serious elevation change. It took us a couple of days to adjust, and we never really got used to it.

Ophir Pass:


A little snow up here, but not bad at all:


Looking out over the valley:


Looking back the way we came:


Heading up Imogene from Telluride:


The road up to Imogene:


Looking back down the road:


Black Bear across the valley, and you can see Bridal Veil Falls as well:


Posing on the way up Imogene:


Unfortunately, Imogene was impassable because of deep snow. We met a couple in a Rubicon on their way back down the road, and they said they try as they might to push through, it wasn't going to happen. We decided not to even try, since this was our first time in the mountains and my driving skills are still developing.

I'll post more pics later on if anyone is interested.
 
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#3 ·
My backyard. Great pics, glad you had an opportunity to get up into the high country. Snows in the last week have pretty much closed everything for the year.
 
#9 ·
Here's a Few More

Looking back down the valley on the way up Hurricane Pass; it amazes me the stark difference from one area to the next:


There was more snow than we had anticipated:


Nearing the Top:


The views are amazing up here - no fall colors, just winter:


I believe that this is Lake Como, but I may be wrong:


Placer Gulch coming up from Animus Forks:


We could have gone a bit higher, but the snow was about to get deep and others that were on their way back down suggested that we not even bother:
 
#10 ·
A Few Words About the Trip

Thanks for the nice words about the pictures, this was our first real adventure in a a Jeep, as well as out first real trip to the mountains. I'm sure we could have done more than we did, but I didn't see any reason to push our luck (see earlier comment in this thread about the lucky folks that survived a rollover on Black Bear). I was concerned about the wife being able to keep her composure on the shelf roads, but it turned out not to be a problem. The scenery couldn't have been any better, the locals and non-locals that we met couldn't have been any nicer, and we were lucky enough to have perfect weather all the way up until the last morning.

I hope that those of you living in that area appreciate what you have, because it's something special. My wife mentioned wanting to move up there, but I doubt I would have much luck getting my employer to open a branch office in the mountains, considering I work for an offshore drilling company.

So, here's a hat-tip to the state of Colorado and the fine folks that we met while up there... you will be getting more of my hard-earned dollars in the future!
 
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