I decided to take my first trip to the San Juan Mountains of Colorado in October 2008. Heading south on US Hwy. 550 through Montrose and Ridgway to Ouray, I found the trip to be scenic, even with the intermittent rain and overcast skies. This section of US 550 winds through the Uncompahgre River canyon, and the rock formations are a beautiful purplish red color which really pops out at you when moistened by rain.
As the canyon opened up to reveal Abrams Mountain towering over the town of Ouray, I felt I had made a good choice of destination, even if I could see little of the surrounding mountains.
The rain picked up strength as darkness fell, and when I awoke the morning of the 6th, there was a definite chill in the air. But the rain had stopped, and the clouds were beginning to move away from mountaintops that were now blanketed in fresh snow.
My hopes lifted with the clouds...this was exactly the kind of mountain backdrop I was hoping to find for my photos! I drove up the Camp Bird Road just outside of Ouray. After only a couple of miles, I was at an elevation where the previous night’s moisture had fallen as snow, which now blanketed both the aspens and the spruce trees...a winter wonderland in autumn. It was one of those “you had to be there” moments, but hopefully this image will give you some idea.
Still on my “to do” list is to return to the San Juans in late summer, which is wildflower season in the higher elevations.
You can see this image in a larger view at my website: http://geraldblank.smugmug.com/Waterfalls/Waterfalls/20528941_3nZG9d#!i=1625950781&k=CPSbZkP
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