I just got home from a 4 day, 700 mile motorcycle trip in southwestern Colorado. Over 200 of those miles were off-road but if I could do it again, I'd find even more dirt to ride. I'm exhausted and I can't wait to do it again. I think I'm addicted to this adventure riding stuff.
At any rate, here's a brief synopsis of what I found for wildflowers.
The northern half of the Uncompahgre Plateau is going off. Probably peaking right now. Acres and acres of arrowleaf balsamroot (I think that's what it was), lots of lupine, columbines, paintbrush, cow parsnip and other stuff I didn't identify. The southern half - not much of anything.
Owl Creek Pass on both sides is probably a week or two out. There are some decent pockets but nothing mind blowing, unless you consider the alpine lakes, jagged peaks, huge aspen stands and all that jazz "mind blowing". I certainly do. But the flowers aren't there yet.
Yankee Boy Basin is probably a week off. A few of the less showy flowers are looking good but I didn't see a single columbine in the basin. Then again, I didn't do any hiking while there. The road is in good shape, the waterfalls are looking good.
Mineral Creek has a few nice sections with one small meadow filled with an outstanding display of lillies. Again, still a week or two away from peak.
Little Molas Lake area had almost nothing going on.
The West Dolores Road on the western edge of the San Juans, if you've never been there, is out of this world spectacular. The views are some of the best I've seen from any road in the San Juans. Wildflowers are not great, although there are a couple decent pockets. Not sure if they typically bloom in profusion along that road or not but I didn't see anything in the way of flowers that really stood out.
Sorry, no photos from the ride although I've got about 80 snapshots on the Mac, along with a few hand-held helmet cam videos. I need to do some processing and re-sizing before I share anything and I'm too damn tired to do that now. A real life helmet cam that shoots in HD video is getting ordered tomorrow. Too difficult and too dangerous to hand-hold like I've been doing. Too stupid, too.
Hope this helps some of ya'll who might be planning a wildflower trip. I'm off to la-la land.
Thanks a lot for the updates, Bret. Sounds like a great adventure!
Are you referring to the West Fork of the Dolores River road that runs by Dunton Hot Springs and roughly parallels Hwy. 145?
If so, you're not exaggerating at all about it's scenery! It's a fine alternative to Hwy. 145 between Dolores and Lizard Head Pass, and I highly recommend a visit during wildflower and fall colors season.
Posted by Chuck Peacock on July 13, 2010 at 11:34 AM
Wow, sounds like a great trip Bret.
You must have hit YBB a day or two before I was there. Columbines (and a multitude of other flowers) were busting out like crazy around the falls just above/after the Gov. Basin turnoff.
I'll be hanging out in the Owl Creek/Silver Jack area for work next week, sounds like I'll be hitting it right.
Thanks for the info.
Posted by Doug Koepsel on July 13, 2010 at 12:16 PM
Bret,Thanks for the informative update from your enjoyable-sounding ride. Certainly helps with my trip to Ouray/Lake City next week. John, certainly will take the West Fork road instead.
John: Yep, that's the road. Totally blew me away. I can't wait to get back there to camp, hike and photograph. Looked like a ton of great hiking in the area. Loved it!
I'll try to post a photo or two here today. Guiding today and tomorrow so I may not have time.
I rarely to never post here.
But this deserved a response.
Motorcycle? Check!!
Off-road dirt? Amen!
Only 4 days? Soooo Sorry!
Helmet cam? Che... What?? Hand holding? Are you Nucking Futs??? (as my students would say)
I sincerely thought with this post and your last with video that it was a real, automatic helmet cam. Tribute to you for the steadiness that created the assumption.
I've done the "Look Ma, No hands thing" on enough occasions to appreciate the non-thought of mortality and feel only the joy and want to share it.
We're getting a GoPro later this year for the extreme windsports, kiteboarding, windsurfing, etc. season part of the business (goprocamera.com). While I know they are touted as water sports guys, they also do brilliant helmet cams for everything else.
Dear Heaven, Bret, can't wait for more video, but we won't get to see, appreciate and buy your great work if you are a dusty smear on the road.
Lee
Tucson (not on the water)
Disclaimer: Not affiliated with GoPro. Have often tromped off into the wild half-assed, without thought, just for the joy. Used to ride. Enjoy falling over a lot now.
Thanks for the note! I readily admit it was stupid and I can guarantee you I won't do it again. I'm picking up the Go Pro Motorsports Hero as soon as we return from Glacier. It's just too damn hard to hold a camera steady, take curves on dirt at speed and shift gears all at the same time. Oh, and that crashing and dying thing is kind of an issue, too.
I will say this, somewhat in my defense: I refuse to ride without all my gear - boots, armored pants and jacket, helmet and gloves. Even in 100 degrees, it's always on w/ no exceptions.
Wildflowers and aspens on the northern section of the gorgeous Uncompahgre Plateau. The La Sal mountains dominate the skyline above the aspens in this photo. Mental note: killer place to get sunrise photos of the La Sals in autumn w/ massive stands of aspen in the foreground.
Looking into the most awesome canyon I've laid eyes on, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. I really can't wait to get back here for some photography and hiking at some point. Please bear in mind the photos I'm posting are only snapshots w/ a Canon S90.
Here's a section of the West Fork of the Dolores River Road. Hard to keep your eyes on the dirt with views like this around every freakin' curve in the road.
Would like to see the video
thanks for all the information and the posted pics - was a little tensed with the Yankee Boy basin road but looks like this I can handle this weekend.
What kind of bike is that? cc? Looks like a cross between an off-road and street bike? I used to ride a street bike about 25 years ago, still have my license but haven't used it.
Posted by Dan Baumbach on July 14, 2010 at 2:20 PM
Don: It's a BMW F650GS twin, which is a dual-purpose bike. Just as good on the highway as it is on dirt. It's an 800cc motor. The stock bike weighs about 450 lbs. without skid plates, crash bars, camping gear strapped to it and in the pannier. As it sits, it's probably about 500 lbs. It's a lovely bike to ride on and off road. Already planning my next adventure on it.
Soubhik: Yankee Boy Basin to the main parking lot is really, really easy in a high clearance vehicle. Nothing technical at all - just a couple narrow shelf roads but they're super solid. Have fun!
That looks like it was great fun. BMW bikes are the way to go! I've been eying something similar to your bike. (Plus I really hate overly loud and noisy bikes)
Discussion
20 repliesAt any rate, here's a brief synopsis of what I found for wildflowers.
The northern half of the Uncompahgre Plateau is going off. Probably peaking right now. Acres and acres of arrowleaf balsamroot (I think that's what it was), lots of lupine, columbines, paintbrush, cow parsnip and other stuff I didn't identify. The southern half - not much of anything.
Owl Creek Pass on both sides is probably a week or two out. There are some decent pockets but nothing mind blowing, unless you consider the alpine lakes, jagged peaks, huge aspen stands and all that jazz "mind blowing". I certainly do. But the flowers aren't there yet.
Yankee Boy Basin is probably a week off. A few of the less showy flowers are looking good but I didn't see a single columbine in the basin. Then again, I didn't do any hiking while there. The road is in good shape, the waterfalls are looking good.
Mineral Creek has a few nice sections with one small meadow filled with an outstanding display of lillies. Again, still a week or two away from peak.
Little Molas Lake area had almost nothing going on.
The West Dolores Road on the western edge of the San Juans, if you've never been there, is out of this world spectacular. The views are some of the best I've seen from any road in the San Juans. Wildflowers are not great, although there are a couple decent pockets. Not sure if they typically bloom in profusion along that road or not but I didn't see anything in the way of flowers that really stood out.
Sorry, no photos from the ride although I've got about 80 snapshots on the Mac, along with a few hand-held helmet cam videos. I need to do some processing and re-sizing before I share anything and I'm too damn tired to do that now. A real life helmet cam that shoots in HD video is getting ordered tomorrow. Too difficult and too dangerous to hand-hold like I've been doing. Too stupid, too.
Hope this helps some of ya'll who might be planning a wildflower trip. I'm off to la-la land.
Are you referring to the West Fork of the Dolores River road that runs by Dunton Hot Springs and roughly parallels Hwy. 145?
If so, you're not exaggerating at all about it's scenery! It's a fine alternative to Hwy. 145 between Dolores and Lizard Head Pass, and I highly recommend a visit during wildflower and fall colors season.
You must have hit YBB a day or two before I was there. Columbines (and a multitude of other flowers) were busting out like crazy around the falls just above/after the Gov. Basin turnoff.
I'll be hanging out in the Owl Creek/Silver Jack area for work next week, sounds like I'll be hitting it right.
Thanks for the info.
I'll try to post a photo or two here today. Guiding today and tomorrow so I may not have time.
But this deserved a response.
Motorcycle? Check!!
Off-road dirt? Amen!
Only 4 days? Soooo Sorry!
Helmet cam? Che... What?? Hand holding? Are you Nucking Futs??? (as my students would say)
I sincerely thought with this post and your last with video that it was a real, automatic helmet cam. Tribute to you for the steadiness that created the assumption.
I've done the "Look Ma, No hands thing" on enough occasions to appreciate the non-thought of mortality and feel only the joy and want to share it.
We're getting a GoPro later this year for the extreme windsports, kiteboarding, windsurfing, etc. season part of the business (goprocamera.com). While I know they are touted as water sports guys, they also do brilliant helmet cams for everything else.
Dear Heaven, Bret, can't wait for more video, but we won't get to see, appreciate and buy your great work if you are a dusty smear on the road.
Lee
Tucson (not on the water)
Disclaimer: Not affiliated with GoPro. Have often tromped off into the wild half-assed, without thought, just for the joy. Used to ride. Enjoy falling over a lot now.
Thanks for the note! I readily admit it was stupid and I can guarantee you I won't do it again. I'm picking up the Go Pro Motorsports Hero as soon as we return from Glacier. It's just too damn hard to hold a camera steady, take curves on dirt at speed and shift gears all at the same time. Oh, and that crashing and dying thing is kind of an issue, too.
I will say this, somewhat in my defense: I refuse to ride without all my gear - boots, armored pants and jacket, helmet and gloves. Even in 100 degrees, it's always on w/ no exceptions.
Hope to get some photos and video posted soon!
Would like to see the video
thanks for all the information and the posted pics - was a little tensed with the Yankee Boy basin road but looks like this I can handle this weekend.
What kind of bike is that? cc? Looks like a cross between an off-road and street bike? I used to ride a street bike about 25 years ago, still have my license but haven't used it.
- Dan.
Soubhik: Yankee Boy Basin to the main parking lot is really, really easy in a high clearance vehicle. Nothing technical at all - just a couple narrow shelf roads but they're super solid. Have fun!
Here's a short, unedited video from Owl Creek Pass:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvyhxSOufNo
Short video on a swoopy section of Hwy. 550 between Ouray and Silverton:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8_4IEPEDS8
I'll try to get a couple more posted when I have time. Gotta run out to photograph sunset with a client!