Independence Weekend in the San Juan Mountains | Saturday

[IntrepidXJ]

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Saturday was another early day for us. Our destination was to get over to Telluride for some breakfast. We drove over Ophir Pass and made our way there.

On our way to Ophir Pass



View from Ophir Pass



Road down the other side into Ophir



After some breakfast burritos in Telluride (that were terrible!), we headed up the lower switchbacks of Black Bear Pass to check out Bridal Falls





When we are back in the area at the end of July, we hope Black Bear will be open so we can run the whole trail.

Then we made our way back down to town so that we could head up and over Imogene Pass, which had just opened two days before. (Just ignore the sign!)



Unfortunately, we ran into a lot of traffic on this trail in both directions



Another tour truck coming through the Social Tunnel



Old structure at the Tomboy ghost town site



Almost at the pass, looking back down



The top of Imogene Pass...just as a thunderstorm came rolling in and it started to rain/sleet



View up Imogene Creek



Once back at Camp Bird Road, it was time to find my friend Alex. He said he was going to spend the day in Yankee Boy Basin, so we took a quick drive up there looking for him.

Twin Falls....a lot less snow than a month ago



Not only did we not find Alex there, but the trail wasn't open all the way to the Blue Lakes trailhead yet, so we turned around and headed back down to Ouray.



We stopped for dinner in Ouray at Maggie's Kitchen where they claimed to have the best burger in town. They had good burgers, and it is a small town...but it certainly wasn't the best burger I have ever had.

Before calling it a day, we made a short drive up to the Bandora Mine near our campsite.

Trail to Bandora Mine


The Bandora Mine