Friday, July 31, KENDALL MTN, DEER PARK

Up early this morning to join about a dozen people for Friday breakfast at Brown Bear with Sig & Denny.  Several Jeeps headed to American Basin via Cinnamon, but we, along with Wendy & James, Kent & Annie chose to go up Kendall Mountain.  One of the goals was to see if the fox family was out and about.  We did not see them.  Hopefully, they are still okay and just snuggling in their den to stay warm & dry.  It was definitely a cold, rainy day.  Furnace going in the RV tonight.

Early this morning, things seemed to be happening in the sky.

First thing this morning, a parasailer came off Kendall & landed right in front of the RV.

As I was looking out to see him, I noted this drone flying overhead.

Sig said he took pictures of the campground:

 Next, we saw a helicopter dragging this contraption.

It flew around the town in circles for hours; coming very close to the sides of the mountains.

We have heard it had something to do with water samples, 

but I never saw it dip down to ground level.

 Once upon top of Kendall, we saw the parasailer again; this time jumping off:

 On the way up we encountered another thousand sheep or so:

 Kent checked out the ice cave:

 Kent showing Annie a little leg due to a zipper malfunction:

 A stop at the Titusville Mine.

Annie, Wendy, James:

 Kent & Annie stayed at Titusville to play in all the good rocks

and explore the mine area.

We traveled onto the other side.

 Wendy, James:

Wendy:

Only back-seat driving I do is with the camera:

 A Ptarmigan; blends into the rocks: 

 Check your eyes - can you find Momma & 2 babies?

Hint:  babies are top right:

 Wendy hiking to the Silverton overlook:

 Jim:

 Looking down at our RV & the whole town from 13,000+ feet:

James directing traffic:

 Heading back down, we meet up with Kent & Annie again;

Watching Kent & Annie's Jeep:

 In the meadow at Deer Park:

 Kent capturing the wildflowers:

 James going in for the perfect shot:

Wed, July 29 GOVERNOR'S BASIN, YANKEE BOY BASIN

First the bad stuff from yesterday:  Somebody in Silverton had a very bad day.  This Jeep was towed in from Cinnamon Pass trail.  I heard everyone is okay.

These people were luckier.  They had slid off a snowbank with two tires off the ledge, but Charles & Jane happened by and pulled them up.

The drift where they slid off:

Charles & Jane's "Old Girl" pulling the out.

Must have been embarrassing for Coloradans to be pulled out by Flatlanders:

Now, for the Wednesday trail ride.  Wendy & James rode with us.  Dale & Betty followed and we all drove up to Ouray to meet with Charles & Jane.  We took the trail to Governor's Basin first.  We had attempted this earlier in the season, but were blocked by snow.  We were able to get all the way thru today.  This is a gorgeous basin and comes with old mines, active mines, wildflowers, waterfalls, wild critters, rugged mountains, & just unbelievable scenery, reaching an elevation of almost 12,000 feet.    There was a momma bear & cub sighting (running across the trail)  as we were leaving, but we missed them by minutes.

We did see several deer:

 And this little guy joined our picnic:

 And finally, on the way back to Silverton,  we saw the momma moose & baby.

See the little ears behind her:

Momma moved, baby is on the far left:

Cute little face on the far left:

 Baby steps into the opening:

Momma still watching:

Looking down on the active Revenue Mine:

 Kathy, Jane, Wendy, Betty "living on the edge":

Jane, Dale, Charles:

The Mountain Top Mine:

 

Looks like an alligator back to me: dinosaur to the locals;

Called Sophie's Teeth.  Telluride just over the top and down:

 Unusual clouds in the blue, blue sky:

Wrights Lake

Jane convinced me to hike with her, Wendy & James.

First we hiked down to Wrights Lake.  Wendy & I thought this was the end of the trail,

but, no, it was where the trails started!

All in all, it was a fairly easy hike though it did get a little narrow in sections.

I decided I need new treads on my boots; slid in a few spots.

Wendy, James and Jane talking to a couple we encountered along the way:

Lots of flowers along the hike:

Jane leads the way, followed by Wendy, James.  I poked along the rear:

Kathy (almost invisible in my pink jacket), James, Jane

maneuvering thru the talus (Jim took this with the long lens from below):

Kathy, James, Wendy, Jane nearing the bottom:

For anyone interested in more info, here's a website with more detailed history about this area:

http://alpineparadise.com/governors-basin-4x4-off-road-trip/