Wandering in the Weminuche

July 2010  |  San Juan Mountains, Colorado

After another fun 4th of July in Ouray, I went on a 5-day backpacking loop in the Weminuche Wilderness in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado.  I left from the Beartown trailhead, hiked south along the Continental Divide Trail for a couple days until reaching the area of Flint Lakes and Rock Lake.  From there I headed down Rock Creek, and up the Vallecito valley back to Beartown.

Afternoon sunlight shines on the tundra around West Ute Lake. 

West Ute Sunlight

Afternoon sunlight shines on the tundra around West Ute Lake. 

Dawn view of the Needle Mountains and Grenadier Range, as seen from a high ridge east of Vallecito Creek.

Ute Ridge Dawn

Dawn view of the Needle Mountains and Grenadier Range, as seen from a high ridge east of Vallecito Creek.

Sunrise panorama of the Needle Mountains and Grenadiers, as seen from a high ridge east of Vallecito Creek.

Ute Ridge Sunrise

Sunrise panorama of the Needle Mountains and Grenadiers, as seen from a high ridge east of Vallecito Creek.

Bluebird summer afternoon at Flint Lakes, July.

Flint Lakes

Bluebird summer afternoon at Flint Lakes, July.

Sunset clouds reflected in a side lagoon of Flint Lakes, July. 

Flint Lake Sunset

Sunset clouds reflected in a side lagoon of Flint Lakes, July. 

Dusk reflection at Flint Lake. 

Flint Lake Dusk

Dusk reflection at Flint Lake. 

Indian Paintbrush wildflowers, with a San Juan backdrop. 

Weminuche Paintbrush

Indian Paintbrush wildflowers, with a San Juan backdrop. 

Sunrise alpenglow light on The Guardian (13,617 ft.), looking down Rock Creek, deep in the Weminuche Wilderness. 

Rock Creek Sunrise

Sunrise alpenglow light on The Guardian (13,617 ft.), looking down Rock Creek, deep in the Weminuche Wilderness. 

Close up view of Indian Paintbrush wildflowers, July. 

Paintbrush Morning

Close up view of Indian Paintbrush wildflowers, July. 

One of many hidden waterfalls along the Vallecito Creek. 

Vallecito Waterfall

One of many hidden waterfalls along the Vallecito Creek. 

A bugs-eye view of the green canopy along the forest floor. 

Green Canopy

A bugs-eye view of the green canopy along the forest floor. 

Sunrise alpenglow on The Guardian and Mt. Silex, as seen from Vallecito Creek. 

Vallecito Sunrise

Sunrise alpenglow on The Guardian and Mt. Silex, as seen from Vallecito Creek. 

Related Posts

The Lime Loop
September 2012
Weminuche High Loop
August 2011
Weminuche Wilderness Trek
September 2007