Silverton/Telluride Loop - August 2019

[Bosque Bill]

Friends,

If you're not out creating your own fun this holiday weekend, I hope you will take a virtual vacation with me.

Two weeks ago I toured parts of the San Juan Mountains of Colorado going up through Silverton and back down via Telluride.
Remember, click on any photo for a larger version. I recommend you click on the full-screen icon (upper right) on the spherical panoramas for full immersive effect.

Silverton Area: https://bosquebill.blogspot.com/2019/08/silvertontelluride-loop-co-part-1.html

Telluride Area: https://bosquebill.blogspot.com/2019/08/silvertontelluride-loop-co-part-2.html

Thanks for coming along.

[UPDATE: Just posted a video of less than a minute in length showing the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad as it left Silverton. https://youtu.be/0N8boLDpeWc ]

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Wonderful Trip Reports! Beautiful country!

Thank you!

 

[craig333]

Thanks for the report Bill. I need to get up in that area and soon.

 

[Vic Harder]

Good stuff!

 

[Durango1]

What, Bill, you didn't do Black Bear Pass? Actually Black Bear may still not be open or even open at all this year. Plus even with a 2 door Rubicon I just can't seem to get excited enough to do it!

Sioux and I were over in Telluride yesterday and there are still flowers in the high mountain meadows which is really unusual for the end of August! And BTW, great photos!
Steve

 

[Batman]

I always learn something new from your trip reports. We live just an hour and half north of this area but you manage to find places we have yet to reach. And your photos are great. Thanks!

P.S. Check out Woods Lake campground (west of Telluride, south of Highway 145 one Fall Creek) sometime. The campground rarely fills and has lots of shorter hiking options.

 

[Bosque Bill]

P.S. Check out Woods Lake campground (west of Telluride, south of Highway 145 one Fall Creek) sometime. The campground rarely fills and has lots of shorter hiking options.

Thanks. I did visit Woods Lake several years ago. It was a lovely area. I hung out there for a while one afternoon, but didn't camp. I also failed to add "Woods Lake" as a keyword to whichever blog post that was... however, using a site specific Google search I found the post. I now know I didn't camp there as I'd already registered a campsite with a fabulous view at the Sunshine Campground. I guess I didn't keyword the local as I included only one paragraph and no photos about it in that blog post.

Have you ever been to Alta Lakes south of Telluride? I'd not heard of it but stumbled across it on Google maps AFTER returning from this last trip. Darn, I would have had plenty of time to check it out. Seems there's a ghost town and also a dispersed camping area near the lake.

 

[Bosque Bill]

WSagebrush, craig, Vic, and Durango,

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog and comment. I appreciate it.

 

[takesiteasy]

I enjoyed reading your report and viewing the photos. We hope to visit that area in the future. Thanks for all the info!

 

[ski3pin]

Very nice Bosque Bill! Yes, Colorado is more and more crowded but still worth the effort to visit. Thanks for taking us along!

 

[Batman]

Thanks. I did visit Woods Lake several years ago. It was a lovely area. I hung out there for a while one afternoon, but didn't camp. I also failed to add "Woods Lake" as a keyword to whichever blog post that was... however, using a site specific Google search I found the post. I now know I didn't camp there as I'd already registered a campsite with a fabulous view at the Sunshine Campground. I guess I didn't keyword the local as I included only one paragraph and no photos about it in that blog post.

Have you ever been to Alta Lakes south of Telluride? I'd not heard of it but stumbled across it on Google maps AFTER returning from this last trip. Darn, I would have had plenty of time to check it out. Seems there's a ghost town and also a dispersed camping area near the lake.

We have yet to visit Alta Lakes. I read in our local papers last year that the Forest Service was in the process of addressing heavy camper impacts there by better defining vehicle access and camp sites. Something like nearby Priest Lake which looked pretty hammered before the USFS made similar changes there.

 

[ski3pin]

We have yet to visit Alta Lakes. I read in our local papers last year that the Forest Service was in the process of addressing heavy camper impacts there by better defining vehicle access and camp sites. Something like nearby Priest Lake which looked pretty hammered before the USFS made similar changes there.

We stopped at Alta Lakes years ago and were shocked with the unaddressed impacts from vehicles. Hammered is the correct word. This is great news that the problem is now being tackled.

 

[Bosque Bill]

takesiteasy and ski: Thanks for commenting.

 

[Bosque Bill]

We have yet to visit Alta Lakes. I read in our local papers last year that the Forest Service was in the process of addressing heavy camper impacts there by better defining vehicle access and camp sites. Something like nearby Priest Lake which looked pretty hammered before the USFS made similar changes there.

We stopped at Alta Lakes years ago and were shocked with the unaddressed impacts from vehicles. Hammered is the correct word. This is great news that the problem is now being tackled.

Good information. Thanks. I've run across a few heavily impacted areas like that in NM, but we're such a poor state it's not surprising. Most places I've been in CO have been well taken care of.
Regardless of the camping situation, the ghost town looked interesting and I'm sorry I missed it this trip since I was so close.

 

[searching for nowhere]

Thanks. I enjoyed taking the virtual trip with you.

 

[ETAV8R]

Great report. Thanks for taking the time.
SW CO is a wonderful experience. I went with a group back around 2010 and camped at the same area you did on your first evening. Rained every afternoon.

Sad to read how busy most places seem to be from your report. It is summer and that's the time to go to the San Juans. So much amazing history in that region.

 

[Cayuse]

Looks like a great trip!

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Thanks Bill. Silverton I have been to but not Telluride.
Nice to see it.
Beautiful area and the wildflowers.
Thanks for the ride along.
Frank

 

[N'kwala]

Really enjoyed these reports and photos. Thanks.

 

[Smokecreek1]

Yep Bill, another great report! Thanks for taking us along (even tried to use your neat tools-fun).

Smoke