Camping Trip

Rather than write a bunch, I thought I'd just post some pretty with commentary:

View as we're driving into Crested Butte.  How is it that I've never been here before?  Its GORGEOUS!

no idea what this was about, but it was pretty cool - Crested Butte

Campsite for 2 nights.  Drove up Gothic Rd (dirt, but not bad), took the turn to Rustler Gulch.  There were some "formal" campsites along the way (with pit toilets) and some "unofficial" campsites where you pull off the road.  Nothing was suiting our fancy, so we decided to keep driving past the gate for RG (after I hiked up a bit to make sure it wasn't too scary).  We saw one camp spot and almost took it, but it was out in the open and not "perfect".  We decided to head up the road to see what's up there.  Another 1/2 mile and we reached the end of the road.  And this campsite, which was PERFECT.  Some trees, but not so many that they block the view.  Pretty view, and no people.

mountain creeks make a good beer cooler

Saturday's activity - hiking along Rustler Gulch

Gothic Peak

The trail called for 2 stream crossings (each way).  I'm so happy I researched the hike and knew to bring along sandals.  We saw the crossing at the trail and thought "surely there's an easier way".  I'm pretty sure our "easier way" was much worse, as we had to cross 2x in the place and it was quite a bit wider than where the trail was.  Snowmelt creeks are COLD and painful.  I think I lasted maybe 20 seconds before the needles hit my feet and I was in pain.  Will was ok, except for the burden of carrying his OWN hiking boots (which he's trying to hand to me in this picture, as I'm safely on the other side)

glacier lily - I love these

columbine - the state flower

humongous flower with Will for reference.  Right about where his head is on the mountain is our destination.

so cheerful - there were fields of these

waist-deep sunflowers, all facing south.  With the sun, it looked like the hill was glowing yellow.

Avery beer with Avery Peak

Gothic Peak with a huge field of sunflowers

Mirror Lake - camp spot for Sunday night.  We had a couple options, stay around Crested Butte (just up a different valley) or go somewhere different.  We did drop $70 on fishing licences, so we decided to camp at a lake.  This place was in a guidebook "50 Best Tent Campsites in CO" and was close to Tincup Pass, which looked like fun.  We were hoping that since it was Sunday, the campground would be empty (which is was - there was only 1 other group out of 10 sites).  What we didn't think of was the mosquitos.  Der.  Lake = mosquitos, even if we were at 11,000 feet.

I think we maybe fished 1 hour?  Fish were jumping all around but not biting.  I ended up losing my spinner after 45 min.  Will lasted a bit longer.  I took this photo when I was sitting on the hill, eating chips and reading a book.  Will also lost his lure.  No fish were caught.  I think we'd better learn how to use our fly rods - we'd have better luck. 



Mirror Lake Campground.  Nice campground but 2 negative things which would make me NOT stay here again.  #1 - mosquitos.  They were bad.  Like swarming me as I was cooking bad.  #2 - Tincup seems to be an ATV paradise, so we got to listen to dirt bikes and 4 wheeler engines all day long.



Driving up Tincup Pass.  Some sections were steep/rocky.  We had to get out and walk a few spots before driving them.  I got out a few times to guide.  We only scraped the bottom of the truck twice.  Success!  Something tells me this would have been more fun in an ATV.  We had to go 4L and took it slow.  ATVs were kicking our ass.

Near the top.  This is going uphill, pretty steeply.

We made it!  ‎12,154 ft.  Ironically, the woman who took this photo was from Clear Lake (Houston).  Funny!

view from the top