Mineral Creek, Poughkeepsie Gulch, Animas Forks

Kenneth put a small spacer lift on the jeep so we would have a little more clearance.  He would like a 4 or 6 inch lift with new tires and rims but that isn't in the budget right now.  So we did a little "fix" until we can afford what he wants.  I was surprised how much a different 2 inches makes (now I can barely get in the jeep...poor Christina and Zachary). We decided to test out the new lift on Mineral Creek (the trail we came back on late at night in the dark with my parents), and hit Poughkeepsie Gulch.  It has been one of the more scenic trails we have done and there were sections that were not so much fun for Kenneth. The kids and I bailed out of the jeep when it started leaning to the side to much for our comfort.  He did great and I took some pictures, the lean in the pictures didn't look anything like what it felt like sitting inside the jeep.  Good news is we didn't bottom out or scratch the bottom like we have been.  So the new lift did it's job.

Half way up Mineral Creek

The view over the side of the trail......don't fall

At the start of Poughkeepsie Gulch this deer was just standing there eating. 

First water crossing of the day - Christina was in love!

The rock was very loose and you could feel it shifting as we drove,
I was on the side by the steep drop off, lucky me!

I have no idea what these are but they were everywhere and very pretty!

Same with these, and Zachary must have asked 100 times if they were blue bonnets. 

Old Mine Entrance that has been walled off

This looks bumpy! 

Notice the stream to the side, I am pretty sure this whole "road" is the stream earlier in the season. 

Pretty Pink Flower, I need to get a local flower book so I know what everything is. 

Zachary's blue bonnets AGAIN :-)

Opening to a mine, this one isn't walled off but we weren't going any farther.
 Zachary was certain a bear lived there, he might be right!

Family Shot - This is where we stopped for lunch!
We try and take a family shot every trip we take!

The stream was so pretty and relaxing to listen to. 

This deer came within feet of us while we were eating our lunch

She was so skinny, you could see her ribs!

Headed up!
We ran into a jeep of guys from Houston who turned around because it was too "hairy" for them. 

We made it just fine and the view was amazing!

Just driving on the trail

This is where the kids and I bailed!
It doesn't look like it's leaning that much but we were all uncomfortable!

More leaning....the problem is if you lean it too far there is nothing to stop you from tumbling back down!

Lake Como

Lake Como looking down from California Pass

Top of California Pass

Just Because he can!

Old Mine

This building was built in 1908, it is HUGE and impressive to look at how it was built

This was a big mining town in the late 1800's early 1900's.
There were a few buildings still standing but it started raining so we didn't stop!
We did run into our "friends" from Houston again, they ended up taking the looong way around!

Yankee Boy Basin, Imogene Pass, Telluride, Ophir Pass and Clear Lake

This was our first jeep outing just the four of us. We learned a few things from the last trip and left a little earlier, planned less trails and brought more food. We headed up the million dollar highway to Ouray, we found a great little camping place there that we plan to go visit!  From there we hit the trail that would take us into Telluride. We like Telluride but it is VERY expensive! After several hours on the trail we decided to stop at a local gas station to use the restrooms (anyone that knows my daughter knows she is VERY VERY picky on where she will pee), we decided to buy a snack since we used their restrooms. 3 candy bars and 2 bottles of water cost us over $10.00, gas was over $4.00 a gallon, thank God we didn't need that!  From there we headed south to Ophir Pass.  This pass is on our list of not to do again. While we were heading down the hill a Honda Accord was coming up the hill.  It was a joke of a 4x4 trail.  Now I would not have taken my Honda Accord on that road but you could.  We ended the trip at Clear Lake. It was one of the most beautiful places that we have been to so far.

Started in Ouray, headed on the trail into Telluride, then back to hwy 550

Low Clearance!

We fit just fine!

She is a jeeping girl!  The more water we have to cross the happier she is.

Pretty!

Christina's first water crossing of the day she was so excited!

The runoff was much less than normal, we have done trails that aren't normally open until later in the summer!

A view from where we have been.

So pretty!  You can see the trail we just came up. 

Snow was still as tall as the windows on the jeep

Still a lot of snow at the top of this mountain

Amazing! 

Top of Imogene Pass

We aren't sure what this was, it had a steel cage at the bottom but it didn't look like it went anywhere. 

The zig zag trail you see is Black Bear Pass, it's rated to be the hardest in the area.
People have died on this as recently as 2004.  Don't think we will be doing this one!

Pretty cool tunnel in the middle of the rock

Top of Ophir Pass

Heading down Ophir Pass
(we weren't impressed, only good thing was it was the fastest way back from Telluride)

Kids near a waterfall, it was pretty chilly up there

These little white flowers were so pretty!

Family Shot close to Clear Lake

Clear Lake - the reflection was amazing!