Press "Enter" to skip to content

Tag: chalk mountain

Stagecoach TrailStagecoach Trail

Stagecoach Trail

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

To be honest, I didn’t really plan on hiking the Stagecoach Trail today. When I left my house after work this afternoon to go on a hike I had my sights set on visiting the summit of Mount Lincoln using a short section of the Stagecoach Trail for access. However, as I climbed the trail towards the top of the Little Book Cliffs, dark clouds developed and moved in over the Grand Valley along with a little rain and a few distant rumbles of thunder, so I decided it would probably be best to skip the summit this evening and finish the Stagecoach Trail loop instead. It turns out that the Stagecoach Trail is pretty fun and offers some nice views of the Little Book Cliffs, Mount Garfield and the surrounding valley. I’ll have to return another day for Mount Lincoln!

CONTINUE READINGStagecoach Trail
Leave a Comment
Fallen Rock Fall ColorsFallen Rock Fall Colors

Fallen Rock Fall Colors

Monday, November 2, 2015

After returning home from Denver this afternoon, I decided to drive up to the Colorado National Monument about an hour before sunset to see if the cottonwoods in upper Ute Canyon had changed colors yet. I had checked on them a few times over the past two weeks and found them to be mostly green, but this time many of them had changed to a nice golden yellow. After taking a quick hike over to Suction Point, I watched the sun set from near the Fallen Rock Overlook and took a few photos after the sun was down. On my way back down from the overlook I also stopped for a quick photo over Red Canyon towards the city lights of Grand Junction in the distance.

CONTINUE READINGFallen Rock Fall Colors
Leave a Comment
Rim Rock DriveRim Rock Drive

Rim Rock Drive

Sunday, October 18, 2015

For most of the day we had an overcast sky with the occasional light rain shower here in the Grand Valley, but as it got later in the afternoon the clouds started to break up a bit and the chances of a nice sunset were looking good. I decided to head out with my camera and take a drive through the Colorado National Monument on Rim Rock Drive so I could take a few photos from the overlooks until sunset. The late afternoon light breaking through the clouds turned out to be pretty nice at times. When I reached the Book Cliffs View near the Visitor’s Center and campground I decided to finally climb to the summit of Saddlehorn (5,770) nearby. It was a short and easy climb, but it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time and am happy that I can finally cross it off my list. Here are a few photos from my evening along Rim Rock Drive.

CONTINUE READINGRim Rock Drive
2 Comments
Grand Mesa ColorsGrand Mesa Colors

Grand Mesa Colors

Fall Colors 2015
Color Sunday | Sunday, September 27, 2015

Since I had only spent the day in the San Juan Mountains on Saturday, Diane and I decided to drive up onto the Grand Mesa for a few hours to check out the fall colors up there on Sunday afternoon. We took the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway via Plateau Creek to the Land O Lakes Trail where we stopped and went on the short hike to the overlook.

CONTINUE READINGGrand Mesa Colors
Leave a Comment