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| no partners | | My Aunt, who lives in Cortez, CO, decided to stop in Phoenix on her way home from visiting her Daughter in Hawaii... She also decided to kidnap my Mother and take her to Cortez for a visit...The only glitch in the Plan, was my Mother would then need a Ride home...
Oh darn...  The First time I saw Colorado, I was 10...The Second and last time I saw it, I was 16...I was sorely overdue to go back...A Plan was formed... There was no way I was going to just drive up to Cortez, pick her up and then turn around and drive Home...There were Places to see, things to Do and a Driving/Camping/Hiking Trip was in the Works... The Trip started earlier than originally planned, due to a bunch of HAZers getting together in the White Mountains...From there, Canyon De Chelly and Monument Valley on the way to CO...After spending the Day in Monument Valley, I headed straight for Cortez, got a Hot Shower and slept in a real Bed after 6 Days out and about. I decided to hang around and visit with my Aunt and Mother the next Day and then departed for Telluride on Day 8.
I never made Telluride on this Day...Shortly after I went through Dolores, I spotted Camping Signs at a Turnoff from Highway 145. So I decide to check it out...Beautiful Drive along Dunton Road, with a few Residences and Ranches dotting the Landscape. The Road followed the West Dolores River, so the River added to the Vistas as well...I drove in to the first FS Developed Campground and talked to the Host and a Ranger who were there...They gave me some good Ideas for Dispersed Camping in the Area, but advised me that Dunton Road may not be Open all the way through to join back up with Highway 145...Apparently there was still Snow on the Road and the Sheriff had gotten stuck just 3 days before...I decide to check out one of their Suggestions for Dispersed Camping. The Turnoff was just a little further up the Road...It was an Awesome Drive and I went all the Way up and to the End of the Road, spotting several Elk, Mule Deer and even a few TH's...  Although there were several nice Spots to Camp at the End of the Road, it didn't compare with one that I passed a Quarter Mile before that...The Views were just too good to pass up and so I made the Decision to stay the Night there...Colorado has changed quite a bit in the last 26 Years, so it seemed fitting, that my first Campsite after a long absence, would be just off Stoner Mesa Road, at the top of Stoner Mesa... 
After settling in and exploring around Camp for awhile, I went for a short Hike (Separate Triplog) Enjoyed the Sunset back at Camp and called it a Night. I was not only amazed at the Beauty up there, but I was dumbfounded that on a Friday Night, I was quite literally the only Soul up there...Got up to a Gorgeous Sunrise the next Morning and after dawdling for a bit, I packed up and left...I saw 1 Vehicle on the way down, parked at a TH...That was the extent of People on this little Overnight Excursion.
Even with the Ranger's advice about the Road, I decided to continue on Dunton Road as far as I could and be optimistic that after the warm Weather from the last few Days, I might get lucky and the Road would be passable all the way through. The Paved Road turned to a decent Gravel one after a few Miles. Needless to say, the Drive was Scenic and I made a few Stops, not only for Photography, but also to check out a couple of TH's for Future Reference. I ran into a Sheriff's Deputy who was going the same way I was...He was going to check out Dunton all the way through, to see if it was passable yet...I continued my Drive, hoping that I wouldn't see him coming back, which meant that he was successful. I never saw him again. So after the last Developed Campsite on Dunton Road, I committed to trying it. The Road was still good here, nice Gravel still. That would change after a few more Miles. 
It became apparent where the Residences and Ranches ended. The Road went from Gravel to Dirt and I knew that this was the "Unmaintained, closed in Winter" stretch...The Road had some deep Ruts that thankfully were Dry in most Spots, but it was much Rougher to drive...But it still wasn't terrible...I came to about a 1 Mile stretch that was a pretty Narrow though and had one Pucker Factor Spot since part of the Road had washed away and it was an instant Drop straight down. Luckily, The Escape was just narrow enough to get through... Most of this Stretch was one Car wide in the first Place, so I'm glad I didn't meet any other Traffic...The Road improved in the last Mile a bit, but was steeply switchbacked going down to meet back up with 145. No Snow on the Road itself and only a little Mud so I made it to 145 and continued my Drive towards Telluride... I went over Lizard Head Pass and ended up finding a new Dispersed Camping Spot with an Easy Commute into Telluride. I set up Base Camp there for the rest of my Stay in the Area. I'll document that Stay more in another Triplog, it deserves it's own...
Great Start to seeing Colorado again! The Mountains, the Rivers, and the Vistas were as spectacular as I remembered and I was really excited to be back here.... 
Stay Tuned for more Triplogs... |
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| Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty & well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, totally worn out & proclaiming, "Wow What a Ride!" |
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