San Juan Mountains Trip, Part 1--Last Dollar Rd. to Woods Lake: When I cancelled the planned trip to Maine due to Sam's health crisis, my desire to go somewhere to witness the...

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San Juan Mountains Trip, Part 1--Last Dollar Rd. to Woods Lake

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Oct 17, 2023 22:00:51 #

dmeyer Loc: Marion, NC

When I cancelled the planned trip to Maine due to Sam's health crisis, my desire to go somewhere to witness the beautiful colors of autumn was just too strong to stay home. So, I reached out to a friend who lives north of the San Juans and asked her if she could break away for a few days to cruise around the county roads with me. I was blessed that she could, and Paula and I set up base in Ouray and eventually took the last day to go up to Crested Butte. From previous trips to Colorado, I was afraid of going too late for peak colors, but, as it turned out, we were often ahead of peak...and just ahead of the beautiful snowfall that blanketed the mountain peaks the night before I flew home. But I did get to enjoy the snow capped peaks from my plane window.

Each time I visit Colorado, I see the land differently. I drove by many of the classic views that I had captured on earlier trips and simply experienced whatever caught my attention, often just colorful foliage. But one thing that always makes an impression on me is that first wide expanse that opens up once you clear the trees on the Telluride side of the mountain along Last Dollar Rd. and shouts Colorado rangelands!

And, for me, Woods Lake is aspen heaven. My first time there, I didn't walk around so much, and missed a wonderful view--that of Wilson Peak. This time I vowed to take my time and make sure to include that stunning peak as a focal point, and not just a distant mountain.