Ridgway State Park campout - part 1 of 3

Note: the photoshow startup maybe delayed approx. 1 minute.
From Thursday, July 19th to Monday, July 23rd, 2007, I lead JPBMC members on a very special journey to southwestern Colorado. The 5-day camping trip allowed us to experience the regional scenic beauty in and around the towns of Ouray, Silverton and Telluride, Colorado. Our base camp was at Ridgway State Park, near the western town of Ridgway. Eleven club members stayed in the walk-in tent sites at the park, while our family of four stayed at the Ouray KOA.

If you ever decide to camp out whether in tents or RV’s, Ridgway State Park is the place to be. There is great trout fishing in the reservoir, ponds and river. For those needing some conveniences of home, Lo and behold, there are hot showers and laundry facilities.

Day 2: (with parts of day 2 in part 2 of the photo show)
After carting in our tent supplies about 1,500 feet to the Pa-Co-Chu-Puk walk-in tent sites, setting up our tent sites, I took the group on a late 9:00PM dinner to the Doghouse Restaurant in Ridgway for a very satisfying meal. Too bad it was too late in the evening for some peach clobber and ice cream. Well, I will return later during the trip for some sweets.
The next morning, we fixed breakfast at the tent sites, then prepared for a long day that most club members did not know just what I was going to get them into for the day – no matter, it will be an high energy, exciting day.

The photo show has been segmented into three parts:
- Part 1 – the waterfalls in and around Ouray. Look for the views at the Box Canyon ice park and the Town of Ouray owned Box Canyon fall.
Over 30 million years waters cut a 285 foot deep, narrow canyon through a fault line in limestone rock.
- Part 2 – the Silverton experience along with sight doing waterfalls and an abandoned mining town.
- Part 3 – Telluride. Now what can I say.

The background music was picked to give you a sense of the high energy pace we were subjected too during the waterfall excursion.

Enjoy my personal photo show of our clubs adventure through western Colorado.

Winston

Now to the details of part 1:
After breakfast in Ridgway State Park on July 20th, we headed to Ouray, Colorado to hike lower Cascada Falls, followed by a visit to the Wesbaden Hot Springs motel, then now to the Bear Creek waterfall. Next we visited the Climax Creek waterfall and finally the magnificant Box Canyon and the Box Canyon Park owned by the town of Ouray. The waters carved through limestone rock to create the most spectacular, narrow and deep Box Canyon and the Box Canyon falls.