A picture with a story…

It was Tuesday September 30^th at the Warm Springs Inn in Ouray, Colorado.  Following breakfast I asked the inn keeper if she had any suggestions for some early morning photography before we checked out and drove over Dallas Divide to Telluride.  Looking out the window at the fresh snow in the high peaks she said, “One of our employees said Red Mountain Pass was amazing – but you better hurry.”

Since LuJean and I wanted to be back prior to our 11:00 a.m. check-out we did hurry, but I wasn’t sure why she thought we needed to rush.  After a long stop at Crystal Lake to catch the colors and reflections, I told LuJean, “Let’s just drive to the top of the pass and then work our way back.”

The further we went the better the colors got.  As we neared 11,000 foot Red Mountain Pass we shifted into four-wheel drive just to be safe as we started to hit snow, not only on the hillsides but on the road.  Above the Idarado Mining complex I spotted a perfect spot for a panorama, but it was on a narrow section of road at a hairpin turn.  After re-driving the area we parked the Jeep in the snow on a wide turnout, and then I walked down the road which was still icy in the shaded areas.  Fortunately there was very little traffic so I didn’t get run-over.  When, I got to my overlook clouds were creating troublesome shadows.  My objective was to catch the iconic head frame building of the Yankee Girl Mine in the sunlight, but it wasn’t happening so I took a series of photos anyway.  Then, as I was about to give-up and head back to the Jeep, suddenly sunlight highlighted the Yankee Girl.  It was an amazing scene and resulted in some of the best images I have ever captured in the San Juan’s.

Remains of the Idarado Mine property and the Yankee Girl Mine from near Red Mountain Pass

Later, as we drove back down the Million Dollar Highway toward Ouray, we made several stops to marvel at the intense colors.  We also noticed that the snow was disappearing quickly, thus our inn keeper’s advice.  At one point, an old song came on the SeriusXM by Al Stewart called “Year of the Cat.”  I guess I hadn’t heard that song for decades and it suddenly brought back a flood of memories from adventures in the 70’s   An amazing Colorado morning.





Reference our new gallery at:  Outings>Jeep Trips>2014

Here is a copy & paste link to "Year of the Cat"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqZc7ZQURMs