Check out the larger version to really see the detail. One of the amazing parts is it looks so high above the clouds and yet it is only a measly 9000 ft.
Posted by Marc Adamus on August 11, 2007 at 10:36 PM
Hi Derek. I've been poking around this forum lately and at some point I might actually need you folks to give me some pointers on where to visit, as I'll be in Utah and Colorado in November. Thanks for posting that here. 9000ft. on Rainier is as high above the surrounding terrain as it is possible to get anywhere in Colorado! A full 9000 vertical above the valleys, near sea level below. From the other side of the ridge I was standing on, I was looking down on the North Mowich Glacier, sprawling along for over 5 miles! Colorado peaks would be just a bump on the side of Mount Rainier (14,410).
No dissing the Rockies though. I love em'. Haven't been there (Colorado) since 02', but I'll be down around Telluride, Great Sand Dunes and the rest of the San Juans sometime in mid-November. I love how the rockies just go on and on and on at high elevation with sprawling views. I'll be looking to do some early winter ascents, get some great backcountry views and possibly do some snowshoeing/skiing if snow's in good enough shape by then. If it's a drier year, I'll spend some time to shoot Great Sand Dunes. If anyone has any favorite scenic hikes or routes in that area, let me know.
Posted by Todd Caudle on August 11, 2007 at 11:14 PM
What a shot! Being Adamus, I'm not surprised. Nice goin', Marc.
Posted by Derek Sedillo on August 12, 2007 at 1:28 AM
Marc,
At that time of the year anything could happen in the Rockies. I would definately contact Jack Brauer from our forum here for some tips and up to the minute conditions as he lives in the San Juans.
He is out there in the backcountry in all kinds of conditions splitboarding in and spending the night on some ridge just to catch morning light. I think you guys have a lot in common that way. Check out his website here if you haven't seen it already: http://www.widerange.org/index.php
Posted by Josh Couts on August 13, 2007 at 5:17 PM
Snow conditions are variable at that point in the season. Quite often we'll be getting good amounts of snowfall when storms come through, but the temperatures are still warm enough up to a certain elevation for some melt-off during the day, mainly below around 10500-11000 feet. Last year in mid-November, according to NOHRSC's snow stations, there was generally anywhere from 20-40 inches of snowpack at most of the stations around the 10000 foot mark around the state. South Colony at the 10800 foot mark in the Sangre de Cristo had 20 inches, Lizard Head over near Telluride at 10200 only had 13 inches. It's highly variable, but I generally use that site as my rough guidelines for winter excursions:
http://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/nsa/
Jack Brauer is definitely your best reference for conditions in the San Juans, especially the northern parts...he is based in the Ridgway area. He could probably tell you best which areas are reachable without ice axe, etc. that time of year, as well as when lakes start freezing over completely and so forth. Mid-November above 10000 feet in the San Juans, daytime highs will probably run in the 30s, overnight lows will probably be 0-10.
Discussion
4 replieshttp://www.naturephotographers.net/imagecritique/ic.cgi?a=vp&pr=78495&b=vg2&st=0&la=764&ph=0&sid=29540&u=29540
Check out the larger version to really see the detail. One of the amazing parts is it looks so high above the clouds and yet it is only a measly 9000 ft.
No dissing the Rockies though. I love em'. Haven't been there (Colorado) since 02', but I'll be down around Telluride, Great Sand Dunes and the rest of the San Juans sometime in mid-November. I love how the rockies just go on and on and on at high elevation with sprawling views. I'll be looking to do some early winter ascents, get some great backcountry views and possibly do some snowshoeing/skiing if snow's in good enough shape by then. If it's a drier year, I'll spend some time to shoot Great Sand Dunes. If anyone has any favorite scenic hikes or routes in that area, let me know.
At that time of the year anything could happen in the Rockies. I would definately contact Jack Brauer from our forum here for some tips and up to the minute conditions as he lives in the San Juans.
He is out there in the backcountry in all kinds of conditions splitboarding in and spending the night on some ridge just to catch morning light. I think you guys have a lot in common that way.
http://www.widerange.org/index.php
http://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/nsa/
Jack Brauer is definitely your best reference for conditions in the San Juans, especially the northern parts...he is based in the Ridgway area. He could probably tell you best which areas are reachable without ice axe, etc. that time of year, as well as when lakes start freezing over completely and so forth. Mid-November above 10000 feet in the San Juans, daytime highs will probably run in the 30s, overnight lows will probably be 0-10.