My Journey

[Ace Brown]

Great photos as always. When we were at Canyonlands a couple years ago we drove into the Southern portion where Newspaper Rock is, I believe. We must have driven right by it.

Be hard to miss it nowadays as it’s well signed and with a big paved parking lot and vault toilet.

I once rode my mountain bike from up at Foy Lake down a very obscure and sandy trail to that rock. Then returned on a long and brutal climb back on the pavement. Couldn’t do it now.


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[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

JD.....thanks.....

Ace.....the Jeep barely made it back up that mountain.....well done.....



We were in no hurry to leave the Abajo Mountains but the weather was taking a turn for the worse and predictions were for snow above 6,000'. Since our campsite was at nearly 9,000' I decided that it was time to go.....



Well, we continued east, we made it down to 6,300' and I have to give it to the weather forecasters this time.....had we dropped down a few hundred more feet we would have avoided the snowfall entirely.....



.....but we didn't so we woke up the following morning with a dusting of snow and bitter cold temperatures.....and clearing skies.....



We made a stop along the northern border of the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.....



.....at the Lowry Pueblo.....



It was really, really bitter cold that morning.....we did not stay long.....



We continued driving east and spent a few nights sleeping at the Walmart in Cortez, Colorado waiting for the temperatures to rise again. Just east of town is Mesa Verde National Park so we spent a day driving and hiking some of the parks trails (not much hiking here since Tanner is not welcome on their trails).....





These days I pretty much avoid all national parks but I really am into all the ruins and I think that Mesa Verde has some of the best.....it seems as though I just can't get enough.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

I took a lot of pictures here at Mesa Verde but I'll only post ten more.....truly is a magnificent place.....

 

[ITTOG]

I took a lot of pictures here at Mesa Verde but I'll only post ten more.....truly is a magnificent place.....

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That pic of the entire establishment is amazing. Lots of places like this in CO.

 

[Ace Brown]

Did anyone see the recent photo of the ruins lit up by dozens of lanterns? It was spectacular.


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[tgil]

Was all of Mesa Verde open? I was going to take my daughter there, in July, but much of it was still closed. I enjoyed it so much as a kid, I wanted to take her to experience it as well.

 

[Arjan]

Thanks, again, for awesome pictures and text.

How were those towers powered with tall the antenna's ?

They must consume some serious amps...

Solar panels ?

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

ITTOG.....I agree completely.....Mesa Verde is magnificent.....many more to see as we travel to nowhere.....

Ace.....not me.....

tgil.....nope.....it seems to be hit or miss when it comes to what is open and what is closed. Absolutely no continuity with the federal government.....

Arjan.....there's a road on the western side of that mountain and I'm fairly certain that electric is run underground along the edge of the road. I could have driven up there but that would be of little benefit. Nothing beats the walks in the forests.....



Weather was improving immensely so we continued east.....next arriving in Durango, Colorado. We spent only one night here.....





We walked the streets of historic Durango and we walked along all the trails that meander along the banks of the Animas River which runs along the western fringes of town....





Now we had spent the last three nights camped within city limits so we were ready for the wilderness.....



Colorado is one state that I've spent little time exploring in.....I've always seen Colorado to be much like our national parks.....a beautiful place with too many people.....so I typically just pass through.....



Our first mountain hike in Colorado was to the top of Castle Rocks (10,441').....



.....and it was an awesome hike as we encountered very few people on the trails.....pack horses.....yes.....





Now we were in the San Juan Mountain Range of southwest Colorado.....I'd never been here before but the views from the top of that mountain were majestic and my heart was excited for what may come.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

We took in those majestic views and my mind began to wander.....



So many mountains and so much forest out there just waiting to be explored.....



We downclimbed the mountain and passed by an old log cabin.....and I could only day dream as to the wonderful life someone must have lived.....



Now we were driving north on what has been named the Million Dollar Highway.....I can't put into words how beautiful this drive is. We found ourselves a spot in the national forest and set up our camp.....this was our home for the next five days.....



Not far from our campsite along the forest service road we spotted this For Sale log cabin.....



I'm not sure if I've ever seen a more perfect log cabin.....an internet search said that it included six acres.....the meandering stream outside the dilapidated front door was definitely a plus.....





But the price tag of $639,000 for a log cabin with no well, drainfield, electric, solar, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom.....it was just an almost 400 square foot log shell. Well.....I didn't see the value.....





We spent our days here relaxing and hiking.....often we could be found on the forest service roads. One day a truck out of Colorado Springs stopped to say hey.....turns out that they are members of XP and they had recognized my rig.....nice people.....

 

[Arjan]

How Much for that Cabin ???????????

I totally understand they are in demand but that is taking a p..s !

Love that picture on the top..

Thanks

 

[Ace Brown]

Jerry you’re in my backyard, or were if you have already moved on.

During the pandemic all recreation areas were overcrowded and abused. But now that winter is back the herd has thinned. The area you’re in was very crowded this spring and summer because so many came there from the front range and other states.

Enjoy your stay but beware our cold nighttime temps.

Alan


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[longhorn1]

Oh yes! Mesa Verde. Spent 2-1/2 days there. Took one tour and hiked to a number of sites. Wish we had stayed longer. It is really beautiful.

 

[ITTOG]

I have wondered why you never went to CO. Now I know. I haven't been to all the places you have been but CO is my favorite by fast. Just so many mountains to climb.

I am thinking about MT for Christmas. It would be my first time there.

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[tgil]

We may have been in the San Juans about the same time?
Love that area, just hate the drive getting there!
Can't wait to see where else you went while in the area!

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[dogman1911]

So there we were - turning off the paved road to our secluded campsite back in a canyon somewhere in Colorado when I see a truck, camper and jeep that we all recognize so well. I told my wife a little about Jerry's onging thread and and his propensity for long walks on the beach ? and wondered aloud if would see Jerry and Tanner on the trail...as it so happened...

A few minutes later there was no mistaken who was walking down the road. I may not have recognized the dude but the pup was a dead giveway - even my wife said "there he is" and she's never seen this thread?

We stopped and chatted for a few minutes then diverged our paths. The canyon had two entrances and we left through the other side the next morning.

I pondered the interesting path to our intersection from my perspective. I spent quite a few years outside the US working in restrictive areas and spent a lot of down time reading trip reports here, using Google Earth to plot out trips and planning my adventure-mobile (started as somone else's story on this forum). After nearly 2 decades in remote areas I didn't have the freedom to explore, I transferred back to the states with my company in March and started working in Colorado. I've been out every weekend (and some weeks) making up for lost time exploring and hiking. My immediate arc to this point started in 2003 and the arc of Jerry's story on this forum started in 2012. I started reading his thread in 2018. I found it fascinating the two arcs crossed for 5 minutes from two completely different directions.

So my 5 minutes are done here as well. I'll let Jerry continue on with his journey and story.