Pre-Season San Juan Trip

[IntrepidXJ]

We headed out to the San Juans this weekend to do a little pre-season exploring. Here's some pictures.

We started out by heading up to Animas Forks

Lots of snow on the way there

Duncan Residence

View from inside

Then we headed up Cinnamon Pass

A lot of snow up there, too

At the pass.

We didn't to head all the way to lake City just to have to turn around and come back again, so we headed back down to Animas Forks for lunch. We will do the complete Alpine Loop as soon as it opens up.

After lunch we decided to head up Minnie Gulch to see how far we could get

Remains of the Caledonia Mill next to Minnie Creek

The Caledonia Mill boarding house

Then we were stopped by a large drift, with many more following it

 

[IntrepidXJ]

After heading back down, we decided to give Maggie Gulch a try

On the trail

But again, we were stopped by a drift on a section of shelf road....so we headed back to Silverton, but took a few side roads along the way.

On Sunday we headed back to Silverton for a little breakfast and stopped by the Miner's Shrine

...where we also got a good view over Silverton with Kendall Mountain in the background

After breakfast, we headed over to check out Yankee Boy Basin

Looks like there was an avalanche here

Twin Falls (looks much better when the grass is green and the wildflowers are blooming)

Went a little further before turning around....still a lot of snow here, too

Full galleries can be found here: http://myxj.net/g2/v/2008trips/san_juan_june/

 

[adrenaline503]

I thought you meant the San Jaun Islands in Puget Sound...

 

[DominicG]

Great pics! Is this near Ouray?? I'll be out there in July.

I thought you meant the San Jaun Islands in Puget Sound...

Me too :xxrotflma

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Great pics! Is this near Ouray?? I'll be out there in July.

Yes....in the San Juan Mountains :jump:

 

[Atticus_1354]

Looks great. I need to take my XJ to Colorado next winter. I can visit family and then hit some of these great mountain areas.

 

[adrenaline503]

I was thinking, damn Orcas Island has changed since I was there a few weeks ago. Beautiful country though, it really makes me miss my days in the "real west".

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Looks great. I need to take my XJ to Colorado next winter. I can visit family and then hit some of these great mountain areas.

Good luck getting on the mountian trails in the winter

 

[ttora4runner]

Can't wait to head up there over labor day.:jump:

 

[sinuhexavier]

Nice one...

 

[kcowyo]

Nice pics of the current conditions.

I'm surprised you made it as far as you did from what I've been hearing. The switchbacks going down Cinnamon into Lake City probably wouldn't have been much fun, if even possible. Same for the trail down into American Basin. I'd be surprised if the shelf road, coming down into Sherman Townsite off Cinnamon, is even clear yet.

I still receive the Lake City newspaper every week and they just got pummeled this winter. The road crews are way behind the usual dates for getting the passes open.

Good to see all of that snow. Keeps the summer fires down.

 

[SafariPacific]

Wow, there was tones more snow when I was in the area 2 weeks ago. Melting fast.......