(http://i.imgur.com/LpTw4tD.jpg)
This is the shit I do in the summer time while you basement dwellers are looking at porn and toking a doobie out your mama's window (yes I know, I'm repeating myself)
West Central Colorado, about 360 miles from my house. Altitude about 8500 feet. So named because until midsummer, the center canyon is completely in shadow. In mid summer, the canyon bottom sees daylight only for a few hours.
Here is the national park website:
http://www.nps.gov/blca/index.htm
Unusual because it was bypassed by even the Ute Indians and the Spanish. Was not discovered by explorers until 1873. The river is named after Capt. John Gunnison, who bypassed the gorge in search of a river crossing. There is no bridge across the gorge. You either have to drive 40 miles North or 40 miles South to find a crossing. At its deepest point, it is 2500 feet from top to bottom.
The river itself was so violent that it was considered not navigable. However with a series of dams, the river was eventually tamed. The river itself was not mapped until 1901 by two explorers on a rubber mattress. The rapids were so violent that wooden boats were destroyed.
There are two portals East and West that were tunneled through the canyon wall to deliver water to Montrose county, which was basically an arid wilderness. When you drive there, you see green valleys with arid hillsides covered in Sage and Cedar trees.
The park was designated a national monument in 1933 and became a national park in 1999.
(http://i.imgur.com/4LfVOX7.jpg)
This is why it is called Black Canyon. The shot is straight down, about 1,800 feet, give or take. The dude is not afraid of heights.
(http://i.imgur.com/yrNBc8Y.jpg)
The river now is much smaller than before it was dammed. This is looking West past the center point of the canyon, midday.
(http://i.imgur.com/gAfvzQY.jpg)
Another view. Fucking tourist moved into the shot and wouldn't leave.
The Painted Wall. Height is 2,200 feet. The canyon is a combination of volcanic upthrust and a mixture of Feldspar and other materials including Pyrite and Mica. The canyon itself is one of the deepest in the nation. I think it rivals the Grand Canyon for depth, if not size. The river drops a total of 2.5 miles in 18 miles of the original gorge- shows you how violent the river was before it was tamed.
(http://i.imgur.com/Hn9iBGk.jpg)
Quote from: stromboli on September 01, 2015, 08:17:05 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/gAfvzQY.jpg)
Another view. Fucking tourist moved into the shot and wouldn't leave.
You should have thrown them into the canyon!
That's an impressive looking piece of the west. Very Unique.
Quote from: Mike Cl on September 01, 2015, 09:26:26 PM
You should have thrown them into the canyon!
That particular lady weighed about 200 pounds and her husband was bigger.
Bambi. Right after I took the picture- fawn was about 50 yards away- wife decided to take the dog off the leash. Dog went after fawn, fawn's momma went after the dog. Nearly took his head off with a kick. Chased him all the way back to the campsite. Picture me standing there with an axe in one hand and a spatula in the other, facing an enraged momma deer. Fortunately she decided not to continue and left. Scary few moments, all told.
The whole park was crawling with deer and Cottontail rabbits, and lots of Raptors. There are Golden Eagles and Peregrine Falcons all over the place, hunting rabbits and Voles. Lots of sightings, but didn't get any pictures.
(http://i.imgur.com/Z9ql9Ry.jpg)
Quote from: stromboli on September 01, 2015, 09:39:34 PM
That particular lady weighed about 200 pounds and her husband was bigger.
Yeah--but you would have had the element of surprise. :)
The river just west of the dam. Fly fishing paradise, or so the rangers claim. Beautiful stretch of water.
(http://i.imgur.com/ewL8cMl.jpg)
The road down to the river. This is what halfway down a 15% grade looks like. Don't try it in a Fiat 500.
(http://i.imgur.com/riGU4tj.jpg)
This tree I tentatively identified as a Limber Pine. They are fairly rare, a high country tree. There are also Colorado Bristlecone Pines here, but are not accessible except by some strenuous backpacking. I didn't think it was anything but a Juniper until I walked past it and saw it had different type of needles. Also there was a dedicated camera guy there taking pictures of it enthusiastically, so I assumed it was important.
I carry an Audobon guide with me everywhere I go to identify stuff. I've been fortunate to find some fairly rare flowers. I'm going up into the Utah high country next summer, because I found a white Evening Primrose when we went camping in June, but it was too early for it to blossom.
(http://i.imgur.com/YmnDDUs.jpg)
The other side from near the South visitor's center. There is no water available any other way but to truck it in, so I always pack water containers with me. The park is on gently sloping terrain from the entrance to the North end. the high point of the park is only accessible on foot with an arduous 2.5 mile hike, uphill and down. I could handle it, but the wife isn't mobile. I didn't want to leave her stuck in a parking lot for 4 hours, so I didn't make the trip. Longest walk to Cedar Point was 600 yards out on a fairly narrow stretch of rocky ground. Fun.
(http://i.imgur.com/vjtSLLD.jpg)
It rained horrendously the first day in Montrose. This is a picture of the Western sky after the storm when we arrived at the park.
(http://i.imgur.com/Mze9Lp1.jpg)
Taken from the road up to the park. Mountains in the distance are another range. Black Canyon is actually lower down than other mountains. Rocky Mountain National Park, 200 miles northeast, is much higher. 2 years ago we camped at the same altitude, 8500 feet. The peaks were up to 12,000 feet.
(http://i.imgur.com/9jKOeua.jpg)
Impressive. Brings back good memories.
Another image. Between the fact that we get in the park for free because my wife has a handicap access (she has MS) get half price on campsites with a Golden Age pass, drive a Subaru Outback and spent 3 nights at our daughter's house in Denver, we did the whole trip-12 days- for -$700.00. That is 1600 miles overall. Didn't hurt the gas prices were dropping all during the trip. Problem with driving through Colorado is you can stop every 5 miles and take pictures, there is so much scenery.
Also went to Colorado Springs to see the Garden of the Gods, which was largely a disappointment. Oh well.
(http://i.imgur.com/X0Gmn28.jpg)
Manitou Springs is a disappointment too. But did you try the local Cave of the Winds?
Did not. We went from Montrose East and then North about 250 miles to the Denver area where my daughter lives. Stayed 3 days and then wandered back to Utah. We went to the Garden of the Gods with my daughter and son in law. the place was crawling with tourists and it wasn't that majestic to begin with. This is our 14th national park and we have camped all over the southwest and west from Arizona to the Canadian border. So we've got it figured out.
I could spend every vacation in Colorado. We've thought about moving there and may end up doing that, because it would give my wife access to Marijuana. We've had access to some previously and it really does help her MS.
Quote from: stromboli on September 10, 2015, 12:41:19 AM
Did not. We went from Montrose East and then North about 250 miles to the Denver area where my daughter lives. Stayed 3 days and then wandered back to Utah. We went to the Garden of the Gods with my daughter and son in law. the place was crawling with tourists and it wasn't that majestic to begin with. This is our 14th national park and we have camped all over the southwest and west from Arizona to the Canadian border. So we've got it figured out.
I could spend every vacation in Colorado. We've thought about moving there and may end up doing that, because it would give my wife access to Marijuana. We've had access to some previously and it really does help her MS.
My brother has MS--had it for years and years--and has used marijuana as his most effective drug. He lives in Oregon and has a prescription to buy it and grow it. He swears by it.
Quote from: Mike Cl on September 12, 2015, 09:36:09 AM
My brother has MS--had it for years and years--and has used marijuana as his most effective drug. He lives in Oregon and has a prescription to buy it and grow it. He swears by it.
It definitely works. I have Sciatica in my back and legs that flares up occasionally. Tried some for that and it was helpful. Shit needs to be legal, period.