San Juans Day Trip

[IntrepidXJ]

Amanda and I decided to head down to the San Juans for a day trip yesterday. Amanda wanted to drive a trail this trip and since she's never been up Stony Pass she ended up driving that one. Unfortunately, on our way up to the pass, the weather got bad. It started out as some heavier rain, but as we got higher it turned into snow. The tops of all the mountains were out of view behind the clouds. Once we reached Stony Pass, we decided to turn around and head out of the clouds and onto a lower trail.

Next we headed up Cunningham Gulch all the way up to the Highland Mary Mine, but the rain was still coming down pretty good the whole time. Because of the bad weather we decided to head back to Silverton for some lunch.

Still dry out when we started Stony Pass

Clouds rolling in

Came across this SUV with Montana plates

Amanda at Stony Pass in the snow

Headed back down from the pass...there's mountains out there somewhere....

Cunningham Gulch

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Up at the Highland Mary Mine

On our way back to Silverton we took the Lower Animas Road

On our way back home after some lunch, I decided to follow a trail I have driven by a number of times and always wondered where it went.....so I followed the Mill Creek trail.

We also diverted off of the highway near Montrose so that I could run the Dry Creek trail as part of my research on the Tabeguache 4x4 Trail....but I didn't take any photos on that trail.

Even though the weather pretty much sucked, we still had fun

 

[upcruiser]

Up at the Highland Mary Mine

On our way back to Silverton we took the Lower Animas Road

On our way back home after some lunch, I decided to follow a trail I have driven by a number of times and always wondered where it went.....so I followed the Mill Creek trail.

We also diverted off of the highway near Montrose so that I could run the Dry Creek trail as part of my research on the Tabeguache 4x4 Trail....but I didn't take any photos on that trail.

Even though the weather pretty much sucked, we still had fun

nice little adventure! Really makes me miss living in CO when I start to see all the alpine trail pictures that you guys start posting in the summer!

 

[ttora4runner]

Dang it intrepid! Stop going on these trips and making me jealous. :sombrero:

Looked like it was a good time and excellent photos.

 

[02TahoeMD]

Dang it intrepid! Stop going on these trips and making me jealous. :sombrero:

Times 2,000!!! Stop it already, or I am going to have to move to Colorado so I can take such cool day trips whenever the urge hits. :bike_rider:

Thanks for sharing the pics. Cool stuff indeed.

 

[IntrepidXJ]

...or I am going to have to move to Colorado so I can take such cool day trips whenever the urge hits. :bike_rider:

That's exactly what I did :sombrero:

 

[FishPOET]

Thanks for the trip report and pics. We hope to be on some of the same trails in about a month.

 

[MoGas]

Very nice!! What elevation was the snow line? Is much open right now?

 

[Cypher]

Damn... I love the San Juans! Great pics! I really want to make it out there again this summer. Thanks for the motivation...

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Very nice!! What elevation was the snow line? Is much open right now?

There are a number of trails open now. They are opening early this year because of the dust storms we had this spring....the dust is causing the snow to melt faster

 

[haven]

I get a feeling of greater satisfaction when driving in bad weather
conditions. Maybe it's the poor visibility that makes me concentrate
on driving instead of sightseeing. I particularly like driving while it's
snowing!