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Tag: rocky mountains

The Colorado Trail: Little Molas Lake to Lime CreekThe Colorado Trail: Little Molas Lake to Lime Creek

The Colorado Trail: Little Molas Lake to Lime Creek

Saturday, June 6, 2026

This morning I was on my way to Durango to meet up with my friend Jackson so we could raft the Upper Animas River together on Sunday. But since today was also National Trails Day, I made sure that I gave myself enough extra time to go on a high-country hike in the San Juan Mountains along the way. After following the Million Dollar Highway from Ouray to Silverton, I stopped at Little Molas Lake just above Molas Pass so I could hike a short section of The Colorado Trail to two small tarns located on a ridge between Lime Creek and North Lime Creek. Although it was clear and a little bit hazy out when I started hiking shortly after 9:00am, clouds started to build quickly later in the morning and by the time I was hiking back to the trailhead the wind had picked up and I was rained on a few times. These are a few photos from the hike.

CONTINUE READINGThe Colorado Trail: Little Molas Lake to Lime Creek
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Ten Years Later: Ouray Perimeter Trail 2026Ten Years Later: Ouray Perimeter Trail 2026

Ten Years Later: Ouray Perimeter Trail 2026

Ouray Trails | Sunday, May 31, 2026

I recently realized that it has been almost ten years since I last hiked the Ouray Perimeter Trail, and at that time the entire loop was not even fully completed yet. Although I have hiked all the newly created segments since then, I had not hiked the entire loop in one shot again and was interested in finally doing that. Plus, since Ouray is celebrating its 150th birthday this year I though that this would be a great way for me to partake in the sesquicentennial celebration in my own way! So after spending the night just outside of Montrose I was up well before sunrise and made my way into Ouray so I could get an early start hiking the Perimeter Trail around town.

CONTINUE READINGTen Years Later: Ouray Perimeter Trail 2026
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Deep Black: East Portal Trail to Deadhorse GulchDeep Black: East Portal Trail to Deadhorse Gulch

Deep Black: East Portal Trail to Deadhorse Gulch

Black Canyon of the Gunnison | Saturday, May 30, 2026

After floating a short segment of the Gunnison River through Delta on Saturday morning, I returned home in the afternoon to drop off my rafting gear, took a quick shower and loaded up my camping gear into the 4Runner since I had made a last minute decision to hike the Ouray Perimeter Trail first thing on Sunday morning. I figured that on my way to Ouray I could spend the rest of this evening at the East Portal deep in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison since I had not been down that way in over a decade and there was a short hiking route just downstream from the campground that I had not hiked before and was interested in checking out.

CONTINUE READINGDeep Black: East Portal Trail to Deadhorse Gulch
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Ouray Trails: Portland Trail & Old Horsethief TrailOuray Trails: Portland Trail & Old Horsethief Trail

Ouray Trails: Portland Trail & Old Horsethief Trail

Ouray Trails on Memorial Day | Sunday – Monday, May 24-25, 2026

After leaving the Paradox Valley on Sunday afternoon, I went for a scenic drive across the Uncompahgre Plateau to Montrose and then headed south to Ouray so I could start off my summer hiking season in the San Juan Mountains since the snow is melting out early this year. I arrived with plenty of time to get in a late afternoon hike near town, so I started from the Baby Bathtubs Trailhead just below the Amphitheater Campground and planned to hike a loop up the Portland Trail, since it’s one of the few trails near Ouray that I had never hiked before.

CONTINUE READINGOuray Trails: Portland Trail & Old Horsethief Trail
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Ridge Stock Driveway: Nellie Creek to El Paso CreekRidge Stock Driveway: Nellie Creek to El Paso Creek

Ridge Stock Driveway: Nellie Creek to El Paso Creek

Uncompahgre Wilderness & Fall Colors 2025 | Friday & Saturday, September 26-27, 2025

This weekend I headed up into the Uncompahgre Wilderness near Lake City so I could spend one final weekend hiking in the high country above treeline as my season in the mountains comes to an end. I’ve been wanting to hike more sections of the Ridge Stock Driveway Trail that traverses much of the wilderness from American Flats in the west to the Alpine Plateau in the east, and I thought it would be fun to hike a segment above Nellie Creek, Big Blue Creek and El Paso Creek, which all surround the base of Uncompahgre Peak– the highest point in the San Juan Mountains! I left from work on Friday afternoon, grabbed a bite to eat in Delta, and then took the Blue Mesa Cutoff over to the Lake Fork of the Gunnison which I followed upstream to Lake City. Although I was hoping to see some fall colors along the way this weekend, I was a bit surprised at just how nice the colors were all around Lake City. I don’t think I’ve ever headed this way in search of fall colors before since my typical go-to spots are around Ouray, Silverton and Crested Butte, but now I think I’m going to have to come back this way again in the future!

CONTINUE READINGRidge Stock Driveway: Nellie Creek to El Paso Creek
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