My mini-vacation in Colorado. (dial-up warning)

[intheflow]

I'm just back from a 3-day camping trip in the Rockies with my sweetie, usedtobesick. Thought I'd share some of my digital camera photos since I'm too poor to develop any of my film at the moment.

We camped in Crawford, CO, which is 11 miles from the north rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, the deepest, narrowest canyon in the US. Like photos of the Grand Canyon, this photo just doesn't capture the depth and wild beauty of the place, nor the blackness and texture of the canyon walls, nor the eerie green tint to the water:



After hiking around there all day, we headed back to camp at Crawford State Park where usedtobesick fished while I played with the digital camera:



On Saturday we went to Curecanti National Recreation Area. We took the 10am boat tour down the Gunnison, which is the only way to get on a boat down there unless you want to portage your kayak or canoe 2700 feet downhill and back up again. After the tour, we hiked around on top of the canyon walls, and I got this photo of the 12:30 boat tour on the river from above, which gives you some sense of scale:



You can't see any in the boat tour photo, but there are a series of dams along the river making reservoirs in Curecanti. Here's a lovely photo of the Blue Mesa Reservoir. This is less than two miles from the boat tour photo, above, which really illustrates how quickly the topography changes in Colorado!



On the way back to the campground, we drove through some amazing stands of aspens.



Shortly after I took the aspen photo, we ran into some serious weather. I took this shot roadside out the car window. It looks like fog, but that's rain and hail! Had to roll up the car window quickly, we were getting pelted and soaked!



Yesterday we drove back to Denver through Kebler Pass. What mountains! Kebler pass takes you through Gunnison National Forest. To give you a taste of how high up we were, here's a photo from not far up the road to the pass:



While we were there, we checked out some campsites around Lost Lake for future reference. I didn't take any photos of Lost Lake with the digital, but I did take this photo of one of the many, many wildflower fields we saw while driving around that area.



Well, that's it. Hope you enjoyed my tour through just a small part of my adopted home state. :hi:

[usedtobesick]

1. I was here... it was great! I want to go back....

[Immad2]

2. Thanks for the great pictures and the vacation (felt like I was there) to

Colorado:applause:

[intheflow]

3. Hi Immad!

I saw you posted some photos in the phot gallery. BEAUTIFUL as always. I really liked the prism reflection photo. Hope you enter that one in the contest! :hi:

[Immad2]

5. Hi intheflow! It is a good possibility. Cons_Are_Liars posted a

great picture with multiple exposures that really inspired me. I had never done one before so I decided to give it a try and that was my attempt. It is like a whole new avenue in photography for me.
Thanks for the trip to Colorado!! :woohoo: Them's some mighty beautiful pictures! Can't wait to see your "film" pictures.:applause:

[kliljedahl]

4. Black Canyon is gorgeous

Used to go every year when I lived a lot closer than I do now. Mesa Verde & Sand Dunes are fantastic places to visit in that general neighborhood. Thanks for some great shots.


Keith’s Barbeque Central

[kliljedahl]

6. I liked Dragon Point

I just scanned a 30 year old photo, but here it is:



Keith’s Barbeque Central

[intheflow]

7. Cool!

Dragon Point is on the south rim, and from the park map it looks like it was just around the corner from where I could see on Eclamation Point. (What pioneer punster came up with that name, I wonder?)

Those canyon walls really are incredible. And they change so much from one end of the canyon to the other. I think our photos are the most visually interesting.

[kliljedahl]

8. Did you make a trip to the river?

About 3 reasonably decent places to get down (if you don't mind 75° slopes). A lot harder getting back up though. I used SOB Draw.


Keith’s Barbeque Central

[intheflow]

9. No! How do you get down to the river?

We scoured the map but couldn't find any place that looked like a train down. I really wanted to go down because it looked like there were some great waterfalls and rapids I wished I could have shot. It had rained quite a bit in the previous few days, and there was way more water in the river than the first and only other time I'd been there about a year and a half ago.

[kliljedahl]

10. No train, but there are trails

Made me scan another 30 year old piece of film, SOB Draw:




Keith’s Barbeque Central

[intheflow]

11. D'oh! Typo gremlin struck again!

I know there's no damn train down there! I meant trail! :P

Your second shot is quite a shot. Looks like you took it from a helicopter over the center of the canyon. Dizzying!

[kliljedahl]

12. Actually it was straight across, not down

Checking out my access from the other side. It's probably the best of the 3 ways down. Wire cable was your main hand hold. 1/2 day down, one damn long day up, but worth the trip.


Keith’s Barbeque Central

[Sugar Smack]

13. Dupe.

Delete

[Robb]

14. Ah yes! The Black Canyon!

That canyon and I have an interesting history together. ;)

Great snaps! :hi:

[intheflow]

16. Wow! The published post among us!

I'm sorry I can't afford to buy any books right now, but I see the Denver Public Library has a few copies. I've put it hold and will bring it with me when I leave for another vacation next week. :hi:

[F.Gordon]

15. What can I say flow'?

Buuuteefull. Just buuteefull.
:thumbsup:

I spent Sunday doing a little organizing of photos and was trying to decide which new Colorado pix I could do a thread with. After seeing yours, I think I'll wait. I always seem to be going for the "different - unusual" kind of stuff and don't have the "eye" for capturing the beauty of nature like you and a few others have.

All are fantastic but I'm drawn to the sunset/fishing photo. If you have any free wall space I'd definitely print that one out and frame it. It has personal significance and it is well composed. A rare combination.

Anxiously awaiting more. :P

Did you find a camping spot?

:putsmountainphotosinboxslumpsheaddownandwalkshome:

[intheflow]

17. Thanks, F.Gordon.

My favorite part of the fishing photo is usedtobesick's legs--a-hubba-hubba-hubba! :loveya:

Will you please stop beating yourself up over your nature shots? I'm sure they're great--unique to your style and eye. So post 'em if you got 'em--I want to see 'em!

[F.Gordon]

18. I will post a few

I got a kewl candid fisherman shot that I'll include. No sunset.... and no sexy legs..... but still decent.

[Blue_In_AK]

19. Beautiful, ITF...

I can see that Alaska and Colorado are about to have a duel. :evilgrin:

[intheflow]

20. Rumble in the Photo Group!

Damn! It's positively uncanny how much this looks like us! :silly:

[Blue_In_AK]

21. You're too funny, ITF...

I've got a few from my first day up if you want to have a look. They get better.

[F.Gordon]

22. ..

:popcorn: