Noob Nature Photographer with a maiden trip into the Rockies. We would like to start around July 3nd and goto Crested Butte, Maroon Bells and head down to Telluride/Silverton area and come back on Sunday.
Is it too early to go for the wild flowers ? Are we going to too many places ? If there are just two places for wildlowers, where should I go ?
We have little kids but they are usually good travellers. Where should we stay ?
Hi Piri,
If all you plan to do is shoot from your car, you should be able to get a very good taste of the Rockies in 6 days. I'd say you should be able to visit all your spots - but then again, I'm a classic photojournalist (shoot quickly and go on to the next spot). Now, if you start going off road, that might be another story. Many of the best wildflowers in the San Juans will be found in the high alpine valleys (Yankee Boy Basin, up Imogene Pass, American Basin, etc. You'll find plenty to shoot from the car in the CB area. If you want the classic shot of the Bells, get there before sunrise!
6 Days? Man that's enough time for me to redesign my website, but to photograph the hottest spots of Colorado, you'll need more unless you do as Ken suggests. Even if you don't do it all, just enjoy what you can and don't rush it.
Posted by Mel Ladewig on June 20, 2007 at 10:13 AM
I think you can do it too. Just make sure you have an itinerary and pad the drive times in case you want to stop along the way. Maroon Bells isn't exactly a wildflower hot spot in itself, but is definitely a worthwhile destination if you are in the area.
However, from Crested Butte to Maroon Bells is a very long drive even though it is only something like 12 miles as the crow flies. The shorter of the routes is a difficult 4wd trail and it has not opened every year. I wouldn't recommend this trail unless you were an experienced 4 wheeler and you must drive a narrow wheelbase vehicle like a jeep or an OLD 4-runner. A suburban is not acceptable on this trail. The other route is an easier dirt road that you can do in a passenger vehicle, but it is a lot of miles from Kebler Pass to the Maroon Bells.
One possible route from Denver would be to shoot sunrise at Maroon Bells (via Independence Pass), then drive to Aspen->Carbondale-Kebler Pass->Crested Butte and get there in the afternoon.
After you do what you've set out to do in CB, you could continue to Ouray/Silverton or Durango.
I would recommend you stay in Ouray. There is a large hot springs pool like the one in Glenwood that your kids would love. It will be busy, so you'll probably need reservations to get a room.
I've stayed in two places in Ouray. One was the Weisbaden Hot Springs and Lodge. A very nice place, but not entirely kid friendly. No TV in the rooms as I remember and the rooms and beds were fairly small. The hot springs were very hot and in a cave. Maybe not the most kid friendly either. The other was the Best Western Twin Peaks. This is more of a motel type of setting, but does have some hot springs with interesting wooden tubs behind the hotel. There are plenty of other places to stay that do not have hot springs on the grounds and are probably cheaper. My wife and I just like to tour the hot springs.
James, I thought you redesigned your website every 30 minutes
Posted by Mike Barton on June 20, 2007 at 12:21 PM
July 3 is a little early for Alpine wildflowers in CB and San Juans - usually its the second/third week of July. But I'm sure you can find some flowers lower down.
One great location you don't want to miss in CB is Paradise Pass - take Slate River Road 12 or so miles to the top. Great relection shots at sunrise. Give yourself 35 minutes to get there from town.
Two years ago, I went to Stoney Pass (off State Road 110 East out of Silverton) and there were fields of paintbrush, columbine and lupines.
Discussion
5 repliesIs it too early to go for the wild flowers ? Are we going to too many places ? If there are just two places for wildlowers, where should I go ?
We have little kids but they are usually good travellers. Where should we stay ?
Too many questions ..
thanks
piri
If all you plan to do is shoot from your car, you should be able to get a very good taste of the Rockies in 6 days. I'd say you should be able to visit all your spots - but then again, I'm a classic photojournalist (shoot quickly and go on to the next spot). Now, if you start going off road, that might be another story. Many of the best wildflowers in the San Juans will be found in the high alpine valleys (Yankee Boy Basin, up Imogene Pass, American Basin, etc. You'll find plenty to shoot from the car in the CB area. If you want the classic shot of the Bells, get there before sunrise!
Ken
However, from Crested Butte to Maroon Bells is a very long drive even though it is only something like 12 miles as the crow flies. The shorter of the routes is a difficult 4wd trail and it has not opened every year. I wouldn't recommend this trail unless you were an experienced 4 wheeler and you must drive a narrow wheelbase vehicle like a jeep or an OLD 4-runner. A suburban is not acceptable on this trail. The other route is an easier dirt road that you can do in a passenger vehicle, but it is a lot of miles from Kebler Pass to the Maroon Bells.
One possible route from Denver would be to shoot sunrise at Maroon Bells (via Independence Pass), then drive to Aspen->Carbondale-Kebler Pass->Crested Butte and get there in the afternoon.
After you do what you've set out to do in CB, you could continue to Ouray/Silverton or Durango.
I would recommend you stay in Ouray. There is a large hot springs pool like the one in Glenwood that your kids would love. It will be busy, so you'll probably need reservations to get a room.
I've stayed in two places in Ouray. One was the Weisbaden Hot Springs and Lodge. A very nice place, but not entirely kid friendly. No TV in the rooms as I remember and the rooms and beds were fairly small. The hot springs were very hot and in a cave. Maybe not the most kid friendly either. The other was the Best Western Twin Peaks. This is more of a motel type of setting, but does have some hot springs with interesting wooden tubs behind the hotel. There are plenty of other places to stay that do not have hot springs on the grounds and are probably cheaper. My wife and I just like to tour the hot springs.
James, I thought you redesigned your website every 30 minutes
One great location you don't want to miss in CB is Paradise Pass - take Slate River Road 12 or so miles to the top. Great relection shots at sunrise. Give yourself 35 minutes to get there from town.
Two years ago, I went to Stoney Pass (off State Road 110 East out of Silverton) and there were fields of paintbrush, columbine and lupines.