Re: Denver, radius of 750 km - vacation

In article <e6fb14$aoi$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, alan.browne@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
says...

I finally booked this years vacation flights and I'm surprised that the
prices for flights are quite reasonable. (I didn't even try to trade
points in).

We'll be renting a car after we land at Denver, thence two weeks of
semi-planned wanderings...

I changed the destination to Denver as on a recent trip to Kansas City
and Omaha I was struck by the beauty of the western plains. So on this
trip we will divide our time between the plains and the Rockies.

We plan to spend no more than 2-3 nights in any one place. Whether
luxury resorts or plain motels we're looking for natural cachet and
quiet. Very early wakeup calls.

We are looking for especially isolated locations to rest, enjoy and do
some photography.
[SNIP]

Any ideas on accessible, but relatively unbeaten tracks and locations
very much apreciated. Hiking will be limited to 6 hour hikes wherever
ordinary hiking boots, clothing and a few sandwiches are the only
requirement.

Please reply here, but e-mail also gratefully received (remove Freelunch).

Cheers,
Alan.Alan, starting in Denver, I'd head out US Hwy 6 to the junction with
119, the Peak to Peak Hwy. It becomes hwy 72 then hwy 7 up to Estes Park, hwy
34 and the gateway to Rocky Mtn National Park. Plenty of short hikes all along
the way with a ton in the RMNP, itself. Early morning and late afternoon are
obviously the better times for lighting and lack of crowds. From there, I'd
head back south to Granby and pick up US 40 South to I-70. Choices abound, but
the drive through Leadville from Minturn on US 24 is interesting and one can
take it through the tip of South Park to US 50 at Poncha Springs. Head west
through Gunnison. There, you have decisions to make: north on hwy 136 to
Crested Butte, a bit farther west to hwy 149, south to Lake City (really worth
the drive, but one needs a high pickup, or 4x4 to go directly over to
Silverton and the heart of the San Juan Mountains). If you are in a normal
rental car, you have to decide if you want to backtrack from Lake City (don't
miss Slumgulion Pass, just south of town), or go on to Montrose (stay on US
50). From Montrose, head south on US 550 to Ridgeway. There you have more
decisions: do you take hwy 62 to hwy 145 and do Telluride, or stay on US 550
to Ouray and points south, i.e. Silverton and Durango. While the towns in the
San Juans are cute as can be, it's the areas around them that are well worth
the visit. Out of Ouray, you have Yankee Boy Basin on the back side of Mt
Sneffels. A regular car can only go so far, but the hike up into the basin is
excellent. Out of Ridgeway, the Dallas Divide area north of Mt Sneffels is
worth the time. Much of the actual land along the highway is owned by
Hollywood types (Ralph Lauren seems to own more than his share), access to the
National Forest is open. A lovely ride is from Dallas Divide around the Silver
Dollar Trail (a rental car can make this drive, provided you go slowly, and
it's not too low, or long) to Telluride. From Telluride, a jaunt up to Ophir
Pass is grand. You will not be able to cross the pass, but can see the other
side of it from the Ouray side. Silverton and the areas there that a rental
car can do are not to be missed. If you can rent a Subaru mini-SUV, you can
reach much more of it.

I'd spend my time in RMNP, then head to the San Juans for the rest of the
vacation. Out of Durango, head east on US 160 to I-25 and north back to
Denver. There is camping at all levels in abundance in these areas and tons of
motels and cabins. Since it's almost Summer, I'd plan ahead for this. The wild
flowers will be in bloom in the lower elevations, though July/August are
ablaze in the higher elevations with field, upon field, of flowers.

Take plenty of warm clothing, as one can find a blizzard any month of the year
in the higher elevations in CO. Also, check locally about any road that you
wish to take, as many, higher up, might still be closed due to snow.

I'd not venture off the pavement, unless I had a set of National Forest
Service Maps of the area. I bought all of mine at the Federal Center in Golden
(outside Denver), but they are all probably available on-line nowadays.

If you need any particular info, drop me a line at bhuntNOTreally@huntphoto.
com. Just remove the NOTreally.While it's been 10 years, since I lived there,
I've been to most of the accessible (via stout Landcruiser) locations.

Colorado is a photographer's paradise. Both RMNP & San Juans offer up images
that are not to be found elsewhere.

Enjoy,
Hunt

.

Loading