Who said cats are curious?  Our most frequent visitors were mountain goats, around the camp as well as during our hikes.  These guys and gals wandered around my tripod as you can see.  Note:  this image was taken with a 35mm fixed focal length lens, which means I was only about 5-8 feet away!

The weather for the remainder of the trip was outstanding.  This was taken on Wednesday, day 3 of the trip as the final clouds were clearing out.

After setting up camp, things needed time to dry out.  🙂

Hiking distance from the Train to the Chicago Basin:  4.5 miles.  Not bad, huh?  No big deal.  Most anyone can walk 4+ miles in an afternoon at a slow pace, right? Oops, I forgot a few pertinent details:  Elevation increase of 2,500ft (to 10,800ft above sea level); 50lb. pack; rain; pouring rain; hail; pouring rain […]

The train ride was a fun experience.  One of the things that impressed me was the personnel operating the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge (D&SNG).  These guys were the “real deal”.  One often finds new technology underneath the covers and behind the facade of today’s replication of the retro.  Not in this case.  This was […]

July 25, 2011 began a unique experience.  It was the launch of my first backpacking trip, following many months of planning and preparation.  Destination:  The Chicago Basin in the San Juan Mountains between Durango and Silverton, CO.  5 Days and 4 nights communing with nature.  There would be no cell phone access, no computers, no […]