Ouray, Colorado - San Juan Mtns.

[Photo-John]

I spent last weekend hiking and shooting in the San Juan Mountains, around Ouray, Colorado. That's the other side of the mountains from Telluride, where Rick recently visited. Those are some burly mountains. We spent a lot of time at 10,000 feet or higher. That's a big deal if you live at sea level in California and "at altitude" usually means 7-8,000 feet. Ouray, in the photo below, sits at 7,000 feet, at the convergence of several steep canyons, surrounded by 13,000 foot peaks. It snowed on al the high peaks and passes the whole time we were there. Since we never got much over 11,000 feet, we just got rained and hailed on.

[Liz]

Breathtaking! What a beautiful view. It looks like you had a great time.......

BTW - which camera did you use? Just wondering how the XTi is treating you. I finally got mine and love it.

Liz

I spent last weekend hiking and shooting in the San Juan Mountains, around Ouray, Colorado. That's the other side of the mountains from Telluride, where Rick recently visited. Those are some burly mountains. We spent a lot of time at 10,000 feet or higher. That's a big deal if you live at sea level in California and "at altitude" usually means 7-8,000 feet. Ouray, in the photo below, sits at 7,000 feet, at the convergence of several steep canyons, surrounded by 13,000 foot peaks. It snowed on al the high peaks and passes the whole time we were there. Since we never got much over 11,000 feet, we just got rained and hailed on.

[Photo-John]

Breathtaking! What a beautiful view. It looks like you had a great time.......

BTW - which camera did you use? Just wondering how the XTi is treating you. I finally got mine and love it.

Liz

Thanks for asking, Liz. I took the Xti and it worked out very well. Most of the time I used the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 lens, and that was great, too. The kit lens is ok. But it would be nice to have something faster, with a metal mount, and better optics. It's better than I expected, though. I noticed that Tamron makes a 17-50mm f/2.8

I do think the Xti - or at least, my XTi - has some focusing issues. Precision is much, much better than my 10D. All of the problems I had with the 10D not focusing where I expected it to are gone. But I did some running doggy AI Servo tests and the dog's head would invariably be soft. I need to test more, but I think I'm learning what the limits are.

By the way, all of the photos from this trip have had some heavy adjustment. Because of the altitude and the light, balancing skies and foreground was tough. So I shot everything dark to hold the highlights and then adjusted with Photoshop masked adjustment layers. That's what I always do. But I had to hit a lot of these photos extra hard. So no one expect to get photos like this with the XTi without some work. They don't come out of the camera looking anything like what you're seeing here. I'm also working on my laptop and I don't trust the monitor. So I'll have to take another look at them when I get home. I'm still on the road - sort of.

Back to posting photos!

[mtbbrian]

So is this where you were then?
I thought you said you were coming here?
Did you and Paige drive over then?
My wife and I thought of the two of over the weekend, we went to the same restaurant the four of us went to and even sat in the same booth.
Brian

[photophorous]

I love the San Juan Mtns! Been backpacking four times in the Weminuche Wilderness, outside of Pagosa Springs. I wish I could buy some land there. Looking forward to more pictures.

Have you tested out that Tamron 17-50, f2.8?

Paul

[BLS439]

Nice pics. They look so clear and crisp. Makes me wish I could do a road trip.

I tried to send you a PM, but aparently you are super popular cause your box is full.

[Photo-John]

Silver is what brought people to the San Juans - white people, anyway. The Ute indians were already there, of course. There were many mines located at well over 12,000 feet. Most of the mines are abandoned and ruined now. The original miners were all supermen, in my opinion. They lived at 11 and 12,000 feet, hiked in and out in 40 feet of snow, in the winter, and did backbreaking work for little money. See the photo of the road below to get an idea of how rugged it still is in the San Juans. The first photo is the Yankee Girl Mine, above the abandoned town of Ironton, south of Ouray, at about 10,000 feet. The second photo is an abandoned house in Ironton. The ruins are of the Revenue Mine, west of Ouray, toward Telluride, located at about 10,500 feet.

[Photo-John]

We visited Silverton on Sunday. There's a ski area there and an avalanche school. The ski area requires everyone ski with a guide and have avalanche rescue training since avalanches are a real and constant threat. I don't know if they do any grooming. It's essentially lift-assisted backcountry skiing. Silvertone is very remote and a little bleak. It has no stop lights. But the drive to get there is incredible and there's good bbq once you arrive - really good. I believe the restaurant is called "Pride of the West." They have a smoker on the premises and I had brisket, turkey breast, and sausage. It was all excellent. And the skies cleared up for us just as the sun started to set, lighting up the surrounding peaks and making as feel very lucky. I was out taking pictures and the restaurant owner came out and comments, "This doesn't suck, does it." No sir, it does not.

[Photo-John]

Here are a few photos from our drive up to and subsequent hike in the rain at Yankee Boy Basin, west of Ouray.

[Photo-John]

On Saturday we hiked up the north face of the mountains to Blue Lake. The trail climbs from 9400 feet to 11,000 in about four miles, to reach Lower Blue Lake, where we stopped. If we had continued we would have gone over a 13,000 foot pass and down into Yankee Boy Basin where we'd been the day before. That would have been a hell of a hike. Especially since we could tell that it was snowing a few hundred feet above us and hailing on us when we left the lake.

[racingpinarello]

Cool stuff John...

Especially when Colorado may be where we end up once the bambino is born. These pictures make it look worth it, and it seems to fit our lifestyle.

The last two sets of photos are very very cool...

Loren

[Photo-John]

Cool stuff John...

Especially when Colorado may be where we end up once the bambino is born. These pictures make it look worth it, and it seems to fit our lifestyle.

The last two sets of photos are very very cool...

Loren

Glad you like them. I forget how much bigger the mountains in Colorado are until I visit them. They're huge. Ouray is about two hours south of Grand Junction - pretty much the middle of nowhere. But it's nice. If you can deal with being far from a real airport, and long cold winters, then it would be great. Looks like winter may already be beginning there, too. It sure felt like it.

[another view]

So no one expect to get photos like this with the XTi without some work. They don't come out of the camera looking anything like what you're seeing here.

I wouldn't expect straight from the camera images to look like these, at least with the three I've used but they do look natural (read: nice job with the adjustments!).

I was in the mountains west of Denver last year in a season that we found out is called "mud season". So that's why the hotels were so cheap! Still a beautiful area to visit, and this looks even better. Have to put this area on the ever-growing list of trip ideas...

[Photo-John]

So is this where you were then?

Yup. I flew in to SLC last Wednesday night and we drove to Colorado on Thursday. We drove back on Monday and I worked from SLC yesterday and today. I'm flying back tonight. As usual, there wasn't much time for anything other than what we planned. Maybe the next trip will just be SLC and I'll have more time to socialize. Maybe even time for a bike ride

[mtbbrian]

Yup. I flew in to SLC last Wednesday night and we drove to Colorado on Thursday. We drove back on Monday and I worked from SLC yesterday and today. I'm flying back tonight. As usual, there wasn't much time for anything other than what we planned. Maybe the next trip will just be SLC and I'll have more time to socialize. Maybe even time for a bike ride

I figured that was the case. I know your trips to here are usually whirlwind, No Worries!
Next time you come, you can come see our new home!
Yes, a ride would ROCK!
Brian
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[natatbeach]

When I grow up---I wanna be you.....
I want your life....... awesome shots.

[starriderrick]

I have enjoyed the whole series.Thanks for sharing these magnificent photos. :O)
Rick

[Old Timer]

Wonderful series of images John. Thanks for sharing this wonderful trip with the community.

[walterick]

Cool! I wondered what Ouray looks like. It looks... a lot like Telluride

We hiked to Blue Lake from Telluride. It must be a different Blue Lake though. We got caught in hail last year the first time we tried that hike. It was in the 50's and hailing up in those peaks and back down in the valley it was in the 70's and sunny.

Glad you found good food up there. The food in Telluride sucks. I'll eat anything, but I couldn't even stomach some Chinese food we bought. The only place for grub is up in Mountain Village.

We need a travel forum for this stuff

[walterick]

btw does Ouray rhyme with "hooray?"

[photophorous]

The food in Telluride sucks. I'll eat anything, but I couldn't even stomach some Chinese food we bought. The only place for grub is up in Mountain Village.

I find that after several days in the mountains, getting hailed on, and eating freeze dried food, anything tastes like gourmet. But, I don't know if I would buy Chinese food in a small mountain town in Co. :wink5:

Paul

[Photo-John]

btw does Ouray rhyme with "hooray?"

I was told, "It's yoo-ray. As in, yoo-ray a-hole."

[another view]

I don't know if I would buy Chinese food in a small mountain town in Co.

I'd recommend staying away from the oysters as well.
Hint: They're not from the ocean.

[Photo-John]

Glad you found good food up there. The food in Telluride sucks. I'll eat anything, but I couldn't even stomach some Chinese food we bought. The only place for grub is up in Mountain Village.

I think it depends on how much you spend. I expect that cheap food sucks in Telluride. That town is a bit fancy for my taste. I had a $35 plate of sausage, spinach, and polenta and it was wonderful.

Ouray is a bit more down-to-earth. Locals say it's like Telluride was 10+ years ago. I also hear that people are getting priced out of Telluride and moving to Ouray and Ridgway. And now people are being priced out of Ouray...

[Ridgetop]

Fantastic Post. Got friends that run a tourist trap store in Ouray. One of my closest friends busted his back above Silverton skiing. We're not too used to Colorado's powder. Made for a rough awakening. He's a little messed up but up and running good again. Anyway, loved the pictures and I think the rain actually helped bring out the color there.