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| | Car Camping | | 3 Days | | |
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| no partners | | This basically encompasses my 4 Day 3 Night Camping at Priest Lake, and any Scenic Drives that were not also to or from a Hike.
After spending the Night on Stoner Mesa, it was time to find another Camping Spot to use as a Base Camp near Telluride...I wanted to do some Hiking and Exploring in the Area for the next few days before heading back to Cortez. It didn't take me long to find one...I stopped at Trout Lake, both for Photos and to check out the Hope Lake TH to see if I could even get there yet. Trout Lake was beautiful, but very very low...I continued along the Road and then turned on the FR that goes up to the TH...The Road started to become a little Gnarly and Narrow and I started to have some doubts about making it all the way up so I found a Corner, did about a 10 Point Turn and headed back down...Upon making the Road that goes around the Lake, I followed it to the End and found an old Road that is closed to Vehicles but apparently you can Hike it...Made a Mental Note, took some Photos of the Area and then headed back...Ran into some Locals and had a little Conversation...Trout Lake was low as they are draining it for Dam Work and it would be closed for Recreational Use all Summer. I asked about Hope Lake and when they pointed out where it was, I knew I wouldn't be doing that Hike on this Trip...  I simply did not have the proper Gear to be dealing with the kind of Ice and Snow that was still up there...It was just too early in the Season for that one...I asked them about Dispersed Camping also and they pointed me to a real Gem just a Half Mile away...Priest Lake, small, but Scenic and absolutely Perfect! And it was an easy Commute to Telluride from there!
I unloaded some Gear and then took off to see Telluride and check out another TH...This Country is just Awesome! I finished up in Telluride and came back to Camp...There were others Camping there and quite a few people that came to go Fishing. Apparently, with Trout Lake closed, this was the Default...Made me wish I had brought my Gear as I watched several Fly Fishermen land some Trout...It was very Cool in the Evenings here as the Trout would start seriously Feeding about an Hour before Sunset...After I got back, I met an older Couple camping next to me...When I asked them where they were from, they replied "Aspen"...After I showed some confusion, they stated that they come down here because they've closed so many Places up there or it's become Private Property, that there really aren't any decent Camping Areas up there anymore... 
The next day I went for a Hike...Got back to Camp and the Couple invited me over to their Fire for Company...They were very nice and we had a nice Time...Good People... 
The next day I went for another Hike...Due to not being able to finish that one, I also went for a Drive, exploring more of the Area and ended up doing another Short Hike before returning to Camp...There was a pretty nice Sunset over the Lake on this Night...
My Last Day here, I went for a Short Hike in the Area and then packed up and hit the Road to go back to Cortez...I would spend the Night at my Aunt's and then my Mom and I would hit the Road for Home the next day...We kinda took a more Scenic Route Home...I wanted my Mom to see some Pronghorn for the first time ever and she did...  It almost cost me damage to my Escape though, when a Construction Worker/Driver was an @ss and decided to use his Dirt Hauling Truck to throw a heavy Traffic Cone into my Car... ](https://hikearizona.com/dex2/images/smilies/eusa_wall.gif "Brick wall") He got lucky and I was able to fix my Vehicle with no lasting Damage... 
I'll have 4 more Hiking Triplogs and this Trip would be in the Books...Just Experienced some Beautiful Country, both in Colorado and Arizona on this Trip...Looking forward to more in the Future...(I think I have my Mom convinced to go visit her Sister about Late July or so... )
Photos: From Camping at Priest Lake, Scenic Drives that didn't involve Hikes and a couple from the Drive back to Arizona....
Video: Just a short Video with a Sample of the Trout in Priest Lake... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_zcHg9Gacw |
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Wildflowers Observation Moderate
Mostly Dandelions which were very thick in places.... |
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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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