Skip to main content

Day 55 - Great Sand Dunes Pt 2

My goal for the day was to get view of the dunes from up in the mountains. I set out early in the morning along the 4x4 road to the corner of the park. The road was closed four miles down but I could proceed up the road on foot toward the mountain pass. I enjoyed walking on the road, recent rains had made the sand firm and the grade was easy. I also enjoyed watching the trucks pass through the creek crossings. 

I eventually got to the closed road section but only walked up a mile. I crossed a log to skirt a high creek and watched a group of deer for a bit, but this section wasn't that scenic so I turned back. I found a trail going up high and followed it, hoping for a view of the dunes. After a mile the trail went up a dune. I took a pic and then turned back. I was fatigued--tired from the altitude, but I made it back on the easy road before the afternoon storm set in. I laid down for a nap at 5pm, slept until 8pm, then read in bed until I fell asleep at 1030. Pics from the day. 




Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day 57 - Rocky Mountain National Park

Ever since I decided to go west for my big trip, I had dreamed of high mountain lakes with snowy peaks arching in every direction, with chilly air making every moment crisp, and with clear skies bringing all into perfect focus-- pure bliss.  Today was the first of many great mountain lake days to come.  Hiking here was far easier here than in the San Juans because the snow was packed down on the trail, but I brought my mini crampons for the downhill. I made it safely past a narrow ridge with narly black peaks across the gorge (pic 1), then up to Mills Lake (pic 2) then Jewel Lake then the Loch (pic 3) then down before the afternoon rain started falling.  I hiked around some lower, more accessible lakes but the sky was now overcast and pictures no good.  I drove up the open portion of the Ridge road amid a very light dusting of snow before heading back to camp for dinner and bedtime. I did manage to capture some fine Elk grazing in a meadows on the return trip and a g...
3 comments
Read more

Day 54 - Great Sand Dunes

I awoke to clear skies, a dry mattress and pillows, a second hot shower and a waffle-filled motel breakfast. I decided to head east to Great Sand Dunes National Park in order to climb 700 foot sand dunes surrounded by snow-covered alpine mountains--a rare site.  Just about every road in Colorado goes over a pretty high mountain pass eventually, and this three and a half hour journey didn't disappoint.  And Great Sand Dunes didn't disappoint either. After securing a dune-side campsite and waiting out a rainstorm, I set out to climb the dunes for a sunset view. Great Sand Dunes is also famous for its Medano Creek wave-like flow and ankle-deep water, making it popular with young kids. I hiked through it and started climbing the dunes, first to a high dune on the east side and over to the next highest dune and then the next highest et until I got to the highest one-/ properly called High Dune. I sat down, setup my phone to capture a time-lapse of the beautiful sunset my eyes were ...
1 comment
Read more

Day 67 - Badlands

Badlands means very difficult and dangerous to travel through-- Badlands lived up to this name.  I began my eight mile loop hike by climbing up a steep canyon side to the mesa wall on top. From here I travelled east towards the popular window, door and notch trails via a wet, muddy and slippery Medicine Root trail that left me covered in mud up to my knees.  Of the popular trails the notch was my favorite because it involved a wooden ladder climb and then a hill scramble past crumbling rock up to a six foot "notch" step that required a almost-rock climbing move to ascend.  The views up at the top cliff were sensational. Even more fun, two girls from New York-driving to Portland and a young couple saw me up there and followed the path up-- with a bit of my help at the notch. I love helping people get a bit beyond their comfort zone. We all enjoyed the view then descended safely to find that this notch was not actually the trail but a side canyon-- haha.  I then hiked ...
Post a Comment
Read more