Leaving Friday

[Misfit6035]

I'm leaving Friday for a two week adventure avoiding all major highways, I'll be traveling through SW Colorado: Buena Vista, Gunnison, Montrose, Silverton, Durango, Cortez. Then up to Moab UT, Down to Arizona: Page, Grand Canyon, Sedona Payson, Tucson, Up to Holbrook. Then over to Farmington NM, Navajo Dam, back into Colorado through Pagosa, over Wolf Creek and back through Salida into civilization.

Any suggestions as to things to see or camp sites would be GREATLY appreciated. I'm also in a modified FJ Cruiser, so I can go just about anywhere.

 

[Morehouse Expedition]

The Black Canyon outside of Montrose is gorgeous

 

[samuraj]

take bunch off pics ! and post them here .

 

[Misfit6035]

The Black Canyon outside of Montrose is gorgeous

That place is amazing. I will for sure be checking it out. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[Graeman]

You might want to keep an eye on the road closures in AZ. We currently have 3 big fires going on and they have shut down major roadways here in the state. Besides, visiting AZ in June/July is crazy talk for those not used to 100+ degree weather.

 

[Misfit6035]

You might want to keep an eye on the road closures in AZ. We currently have 3 big fires going on and they have shut down major roadways here in the state. Besides, visiting AZ in June/July is crazy talk for those not used to 100+ degree weather.

Thanks for the heads up about the fires, we have a pretty big one in Colorado near Cortez. As for the temperatures, I lived in Tucson for a couple of years, and I spent a summer in Kuwait(worst place on earth,) and one in Iraq, and a couple in Afghanistan. The heat I can deal with, though sadly it's the reason I'm not taking my dog. She lived with me in Tucson, but she is old now. So she gets to hang out at my brothers place in the air conditioning.

 

[Graeman]

We live in Tucson and Mt Lemmon is on fire again and so is Tortalina mountains. Hwy 87 between Fort McDowel and Payson is on fire and shut down. Tucson heat is nice compared to Phoenix heat that never goes away. Plus we start the monsoon season today.

 

[Misfit6035]

We live in Tucson and Mt Lemmon is on fire again and so is Tortalina mountains. Hwy 87 between Fort McDowel and Payson is on fire and shut down. Tucson heat is nice compared to Phoenix heat that never goes away. Plus we start the monsoon season today.

Well crap, I planned on cutting through Sedona and Payson on my way to Ajax Mine before making my way to Tucson. So if Lemmon is on fire, Whats Redington pass look like? I planned to take that out of Tucson when I head back north toward Holbrook.

 

[Graeman]

Well crap, I planned on cutting through Sedona and Payson on my way to Ajax Mine before making my way to Tucson. So if Lemmon is on fire, Whats Redington pass look like? I planned to take that out of Tucson when I head back north toward Holbrook.

Redington is good. The fire is on the backside of the mountain.

 

[Misfit6035]

Redington is good. The fire is on the backside of the mountain.

Maybe Monsoon season will help with the fires.

 

[Misfit6035]

Just an update on how the tip is going. I started in Estes Park, and took the peak to peak highway to Blackhawk, then 285 down through Buena Vista to highway 50 over Monarch to Black Canyon where I stayed the first night. Sadly i didn't get any good pictures of the canyon.

Day two took me over Red Mountain Pass to Silverton where I pretty much spent the entire day exploring and driving various 4x4 trails. I ended up camping on Mt. Kendall right at timberline. Absolutely the most beautiful campsite I've ever had.

Day three took me to Dolores and up to Groundhog Reservoir, where i also had an amazing campsite. And as for today, i plan on going through the Dolores River Canyon to Slick Rock and on into Moab.

More pictures to follow.

 

[Misfit6035]

My camp over Silverton

 

[Misfit6035]

An old train car on the side of the mountain.

 

[Misfit6035]

Groundhog Reservoir.

 

[Misfit6035]

Hells Revenge