Crested Butte - Kebler Pass

We drove route 12 today which goes over Kebler Pass and into Crested Butte. This drive is a mostly dirt road through an amazing area. Lots of mountain views and aspens. We went on the Lilly Lake trail near Kebler Pass. Nice pine woods walk to a small lake. We saw deer and gray jays on the walk. 

Next we arrived at Crested Butte and went on the Snodgrass mountain trail. This is a 6 mile RT trail that goes from around 10K feet to 11K feet. The views start right away and are actually best somewhere about half way up. You can see Crested Butte, the mountain and town, and also a number of surrounding peaks. 

We are staying at Alpine Inn in Gunnison which is worth returning to. Nice place with indoor pool and hot tub. 

Highline State Park

 Bike ride from the house to Highline State Park on another nice day.

Highway 141 - Gateway CO

 Today was a tour on highway 141 which heads South into a land of Canyons and the Doloris River. We made it as far as Uravan and then headed back. The road starts with granite and other hard rock type mountains. There are some climbing walls in this area. We talked to a climber in the parking lot of Mother's Buttress. Interesting guy who's father was a park ranger and worked in Southern Utah and parts of Colorado. His father knew Edward Abbey, the author of Desert Solitaire, who was an Arches NP ranger. We stopped at Unaweep Canyon and did half of a very nice 4 mile RT hike that went up toward the top of the canyon. Then at the town of Gateway the mountains turn to red sandstone and changes to a Utah like look. We stopped at a few picnic areas down by the river. Also some Petroglyphs at mile marker 88. These were a different type that were carved into the rock. There was also a historical site where they had built a long wooden shelved water flume (pipe) to bring water to a mine. Finally we stopped at the Gateway Trails Trailhead which is right next to the very nice Gateway Canyons Resort. Nice trails that circle around a spectacular area.  The area is red rock mountains that reminded me of monument valley. Great views everywhere on this road!

Remnants of the flume water pipe structure;