Into the mountains...

 We had plans to head to  western Canada this week.   Our goal was Kootenay National Park with time near Glacier NP in Montana and stops in Idaho.     As the time got closer to load up the RV and head out, we started questioning our plan to leave the mountains and drive 1000 miles to go see the mountains.     We live in a beautiful amazing part of the world and there is so much here that is just waiting for our hiking shoes and Jeep.      So, we are staying home.



We found our hiking shoes and poles and headed into the mountains.    We opted to go easy on our joints and lungs and do a lovely stroll around Crystal Lake.    At 9600 ft,  it is a comfortable elevation.    It's a popular place for plein-air artists and fisherman.      It was 50 degrees and we managed to walk less than a mile when we saw this remnant of an avalanche.    If we had been in our 20's , we might have been able to climb 1000 ft and go around it but we are not in our 20's, 30's .........

 We headed back and came to the trailhead for Mt Hayden.     It was obviously a vertical trail but we were warmed up so decided to see how our 75+ yr old lungs were working.    We did well..... it was a deep pine forest, soft underfoot with needles and quiet.     We climbed for 30 min or so and then came the rock slides and downed trees.    We managed to maneuver around for a bit and then gave up.     But it was a nice workout and we could easily have gone further.

 On Sunday, we headed south to Silverton for a late breakfast.    The train (Durango-Silverton) is running again this year.   Last year, the cinders from the coal were blamed for a massive fire in the Durango area.     The train rides stopped and I was surprised to see them again this year.     The private company is being sued by everyone but it is a big tourist attraction and gives Silverton a vitality and big financial support.

It's one of the few places that you can ride your ATV on the main streets.

And again, we headed out ..... this time, we had 3 Jeeps and we headed up  Corkscrew Gulch trail.   The damage from all the snow/avalanches is massive this year and some trails are still closed.    We are at the height of tourist season and the mountain towns of Ouray and Silverton and Telluride depend on a steady flow of hikers and jeepers.   

 

 Our group portrait at the top of the trail..... about 12000 ft.     From the right, Paul, Sue Ellen, Matt, Gisela (holding Beau), Randy and yours truly......I see it's a little blurry enlarged....But maybe at this time in our lives, a bit of a blur is kinder...........not my camera.

 Always a favorite view of Red Mountain....

We were not alone on the top.....

 We had planned on heading over to Velocity Basin ( that snow covered basin slightly right of center in the picture ) but it was obvious that it would not be a prime picnic spot this year. ..... there is a lovely lake and lots of wildflowers underneath all that snow.       So we found a less traveled trail and had our picnic with this as our view.