rose_griffes (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
rose_griffes) wrote2007-10-14 08:54 pm
rose_griffes) wrote2007-10-14 08:54 pm
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yet another Colorado picspam
I really wanted to do another Colorado picspam, mostly because I *love* the San Luis valley (south-central Colorado; a nice flat swath of land between the San Juan mountains to the west and the Sangre de Cristo mountains to the east. The last picspam (of the trainride) started in the valley.
I have some childhood friends who lived near the very small town of Crestone, CO for several years. They ran a hotel there, in the middle of nowhere. The nearest stoplight is at least a 45-minute drive away. Wal-Mart--50 minutes minimum. In the summers I used to go there and help out--make beds, wait tables, whatever needed to be done. During my spare time I'd hike, read, whatever I felt like doing. Then they sold the hotel. *RUDE* Why didn't they think of me and my needs?! Heh.
Anyway, during vacation this summer we went back there for a few short days. It's still gorgeous and isolated. If I lived a different life I might choose to be in the San Luis valley somewhere.
This picspam is dedicated to the area from Moffat (the town where you turn off highway 285 onto County Road T) up to the hiking trails past Crestone. All photos taken in August '07.
County Road T connects Crestone to Moffat. Leaving Moffat, it's almost a straight shot east, toward the Sangre de Cristos, except for a couple of weird, really sharp curves. They're prime accident spots in the dark. Anyway these shots were taken near one of the curves, on a beautiful dewy morning. Notice how flat the valley is. (The dark blocks are bales of hay.)
Another shot of dewy grasses and the mountains.
And the usual flower pic, since I can't resist them.
About twelve miles east on County Road T you pass the hotel my friends owned.
It's on the flats, but the mountains aren't far away. Look at this amazing sunset!
Just east of the hotel is a golf course. I like the broken sign leading to it. ('Beyond This Point'--hee!)
I hiked around in the grasslands behind the hotel for these pics. Another flower.
Near the old tennis courts.
Looking across the road, at sunset.
Keep driving east on CR T and you get to Crestone, in the lower part of the moutains. Go past Crestone and there are several trails to hike. Mom and I went on the North Crestone trail, because it's easy to access the trail head by car and for nostalgia reasons.
Several creeks (from snowmelt) run down the mountains. Yes, the water is *very* cold.
Oh, pretty trail.
Still lots of wildflowers in bloom, even in August.
The trees are a mixture of evergreens and aspens.
Close-up of dewy baby aspen leaf.
And a conifer, sans cones.
Some moss growing on a cliff face. (I really had a hard time getting this to focus. Didn't really succeed.)
Lastly, me looking pensively at the creek. (Mother lurking sneakily with camera.)
I have some childhood friends who lived near the very small town of Crestone, CO for several years. They ran a hotel there, in the middle of nowhere. The nearest stoplight is at least a 45-minute drive away. Wal-Mart--50 minutes minimum. In the summers I used to go there and help out--make beds, wait tables, whatever needed to be done. During my spare time I'd hike, read, whatever I felt like doing. Then they sold the hotel. *RUDE* Why didn't they think of me and my needs?! Heh.
Anyway, during vacation this summer we went back there for a few short days. It's still gorgeous and isolated. If I lived a different life I might choose to be in the San Luis valley somewhere.
This picspam is dedicated to the area from Moffat (the town where you turn off highway 285 onto County Road T) up to the hiking trails past Crestone. All photos taken in August '07.
County Road T connects Crestone to Moffat. Leaving Moffat, it's almost a straight shot east, toward the Sangre de Cristos, except for a couple of weird, really sharp curves. They're prime accident spots in the dark. Anyway these shots were taken near one of the curves, on a beautiful dewy morning. Notice how flat the valley is. (The dark blocks are bales of hay.)
Another shot of dewy grasses and the mountains.
And the usual flower pic, since I can't resist them.
About twelve miles east on County Road T you pass the hotel my friends owned.
It's on the flats, but the mountains aren't far away. Look at this amazing sunset!
Just east of the hotel is a golf course. I like the broken sign leading to it. ('Beyond This Point'--hee!)
I hiked around in the grasslands behind the hotel for these pics. Another flower.
Near the old tennis courts.
Looking across the road, at sunset.
Keep driving east on CR T and you get to Crestone, in the lower part of the moutains. Go past Crestone and there are several trails to hike. Mom and I went on the North Crestone trail, because it's easy to access the trail head by car and for nostalgia reasons.
Several creeks (from snowmelt) run down the mountains. Yes, the water is *very* cold.
Oh, pretty trail.
Still lots of wildflowers in bloom, even in August.
The trees are a mixture of evergreens and aspens.
Close-up of dewy baby aspen leaf.
And a conifer, sans cones.
Some moss growing on a cliff face. (I really had a hard time getting this to focus. Didn't really succeed.)
Lastly, me looking pensively at the creek. (Mother lurking sneakily with camera.)