Camels Garden Hotel Telluride

This weekend Allison and I hiked to Ice Lake near Silverton, Colorado, for her birthday weekend extravaganza. I had read about the hike to Ice Lake a while back, and then I heard some co-workers raving about it this week. So at the last minute, we decided to go. We left for Durango early Saturday morning, and after a quick stop at the Durango Farmers Market for some coffee and snacks, we secured a campsite at our favorite ...

... of hiking and sight seeing throughout the town, and ate and drank the way a group our size and age would be expected to.

Sorry I don't have more pics of the group, I was mesmerized by the scenery!

Maybe when I get together with them next I'll have some to add.

Hope all are well!

... and made the
native americans move away from the San Juan mountains because they
were mining for precious metals. The museum is on the site of Chief
Ourays property. Both he and his wonderful wife Chipeta are both
buried here.

That afternoon we ended our day in
Gunnison, Colorado where they were having a very cool car show. It is
an annual event where all and sundry turn out for a fun street party
as an opening to the weekend long fair.

... off to Cortez!
We had allowed ourselves some time to check out the fair before the gates for the demo derby opened, but we soon realized that we were there WAY early. Every time Silas and I have gone to a fair together (Western Montana fair in Missoula, Marias fair in Shelby, MT, and this fair- the Montezuma County fair) I have been very disappointed with the animal barns and the midways. I always end up saying something to the effect ...

Family and Grandma Connie went to Ouray to drop of some tile work for art show. On the way, we stopped at a couple of abandoned mine sites and explored. Founds some cool rocks with imbedded crystals. Stayed at Box Canyon and soaked in spring fed hot tubs made from old wine barrels ...

... back to Silas' coworker's house for a BBQ. 
  On Saturday we were heading to Telluride for their 4th of July festivities- I thought I had seen somewhere in my research that the parade started at 10am, so we left here at about 6:30 with hopes of getting a campsite in town before the parade started.  We made really good time over there and were at the Town Park campground before 9.  After a quick drive through it, we saw that it was packed.  I stopped by the office anyway ...

... wanted to stay longer, but the weather was not cooperating and Kristi was feeling worse with sinus troubles, which the high altitude did not help.

We chose to drive to Ouray to try out the hot springs. We made it to the hot springs and jumped in for about two minutes before lightning was sighted and everyone was told to get out. We could either wait for twenty minutes after the last ...

... were low clouds shrouding the mountains, and most of the time we followed a swollen and swiftly flowing river through the mountains to the old mining town of Silverton. The mine just closed down in 1991, and since then the town has become a tourist destination. There are some beautiful old buildings in Silverton, and lots of craft and souveneir stores. It finally stopped ...

... sports, slows to a crawl during the off-season, and other than a few walks down Main St. and stops for coffee, we hibernated at Box Canyon Lodge, soaking in their wooden, mineral springs hot tubs while mavelling at the view of the mountains and Box Canyon Falls, and utilizing their comprehensive movie library for in-room viewing.

... to go too fast and too sharp like I remembered skiing before. I later found out at lunch that my forehead was bleeding, I had actually cut my head on one of the falls and had no idea about it! Michaela got a kick out of being better than her brother, buttt, this only lasted for the first hour or so. I quickly got back in my groove, and was back to my normal ways. From afternoon on, I ...