Yesterday was my first real test at hiking above 11,000 feet; all systems were "Go," however, I would add "Slow" to that. Even Coffee Girl seemed to lack her usual rambunctious energy level. Bobbie was still feeling the effects of her recent eleven plus miles push to Bridge of Heaven, so I was in good company. Boonie learned the value of Gore-Tex lined shoes as we waded the soggy tundra and soft snow above Bullion King Mine and Lake. Cutthroat Trout by the dozens plied the shallow waters near the bank for food, reflecting fluorescent red and green in the early morning sun. Wildflowers are a little late this year due to lingering winter snows, but it was still a beautiful place to hang out and watch atomic bomb monsoonal clouds mushroom into the stratosphere.
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| Technically it's a four wheel drive road to Bullion King, but Sue Bee, with her 9 inches of ground clearance and all wheel drive got us up there |
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| Looking toward Silverton and the Grenadier Mountain Range, where Crestone, Eolus, and Sunshine—all 14,000 foot peaks that we have climbed— are located. |
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| A nice patch of King's Crown... |
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| I have a photo of Bobbie standing in the doorway of this now collapsed mine shack. It was taken just a couple of years ago. Winter is relentless up here. |
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| Meager beginnings to the wildflower season... |
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| Bullion King's magnificent upper basin |
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| Bullion King Lake was in a highly reflective mood on this day... |
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| Not a good photo, but there are several cutthroat trout above |
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| Never seen the lake this calm before…like glass |
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| Lunchtime |
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| Back to work... |
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| Not satisfied, we head for a saddle in the ridge line |
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| From the saddle looking over into Telluride's Box Canyon |
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| Clouds were building rather quickly, and it wasn't even noon |
King's Bullion is beautiful, I remember seeing your posts from it a couple of years ago. I'd really love to go someday!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous, gorgeous hike! The flowers, snow, and water are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking me back to that glorious place! A little more snow than when we hiked it last year, but just a beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThere are no mountains like high Colorado mountains it seems. So incredibly gorgeous. It is the open meadows and spaciousness that sets these mountains apart from the Sierras, gorgeous in their own way, but not as expansive. Love you postcards.
ReplyDeleteThat was our favorite hike. Nice to see it again and we didn't even breathe hard!
ReplyDeleteGayle
Beautiful! I wish I was hiking in CO this summer. I am seriously looking into working in the winter and traveling in the summer from now on. I'm in grizzly country and have been warned not to hike alone so I have not been out as much as I would like.
ReplyDeleteSimply beautiful. The edge of heaven is exactly right. Those pictures are enough to take my breath away. What a day. Really have to see this for myself.
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