June 2023: Great Basin, Canyonlands, Arches and Colorado

During June of 2023 we drove to Colorado via Great Basin National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Arches National Park. While in Colorado, we visited Leadville and hiked in the Sangre de Cristo mountains and Marvine Flattops. There was heavy snowfall through much of the western US during the winter, and many areas we visited were snow covered and inaccessible in the light hiking gear we carried. The photos of this trip include

Camping at Great Basin National Park with a tour of Lehman Cave and a hike to the still snowbound Wheeler Campground
Glamping at Canyonlands National Park with several hikes in the Needles and a drive through Island in the Sky
Driving through Arches National Park
Hiking to Comanche Lake in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains,Colorado
Visiting Leadville, Colorado
Hiking in the Marvine Flattops, Colorado

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Trip to Colorado & Canyonlands: June 2023

lehman Cave at Great Basin NP Limestone formation in Lehman Cave

lehman Cave at Great Basin NP Columns in Lehman Cave

lehman Cave at Great Basin NP Formations on the ceiling of Lehman Cave

lehman Cave at Great Basin NP Limestone formations in Lehman Cave

lehman Cave at Great Basin NP A "grotto" in Lehman Cave

lehman Cave at Great Basin NP The Parachute Shield (a "cave shield" formation) in Lehman Cave

lehman Cave at Great Basin NP Limestone formations in Lehman Cave

Doso Doyabi Doso Doyabi from our campsite in Lower Lehman Campground

Ski line on Doso Doyabi Sufficient snow remains to ski from the summit of Doso Doyabi

High water along Lehman Creek Trail High water along the Lehman Creek trail

Wheeler Peak and Doso Doyabi Wheeler Peak and Doso Doyabi (left) from th Wheeler Peak Campground

We started out hiking to Druid Arch, but abandonded that objective because (a) we started at the Needles Campground instead of Elephant Hill, which added 4 miles RT, and (b) travel over the slick rock and washes was much slower than walking on trails

HIke to Druid Arch We started out hiking to Druid Arch, but abandonded that objective because (a) we started at the Needles Campground instead of Elephant Hill, which added 4 miles RT, and (b) travel over the slick rock and washes was much slower than walking on trails

Needles District of Canyonlands NP Hiking and Glamping in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park

Big Spring Loop We left the Druid Arch trail and finished the day on the Big Spring Loop trail

Via Feratta? The pass at the southernmost point of the Big Spring Loop is accessed using iron ladders attached to the rock

Footholds The southern pass also included footholds carved into the slick rock

A Second Ladder A second ladder took us down on the far side of the southern pass

Big Spring Loop A notched log provided access to a narrow crack in the slick rock

Big Spring Loop After climbing the notched log, we proceeded through a tight crack in the rock

Big Spring Loop Traversing the slick rock at the southern end of the Big Spring Loop

Glamping in Canyonlands Our Glamping tent at the entrance to the Needles District of Canyonlands NP

Monument Basin Monumnet Basin from the Grand View Point Overlook trail

Candlestick Tower Candlestick Tower from the Grand View Point

Shafer Trail Shafer Trail

Arches NP The Three Gossips along the road into Arches National Park

The La Sal Mountains The La Sal Mountains from Arches National Park

The Windows Crowds on the trail to the Windows

The Windows Diane in the North Window

Turret Arch Turret Arch in Arches National Park

The La Sal Mountains The La Sal Mountains from the trail to Turret Arch

The Windows The North and South Windows Finally! Instructions about how to use those newfangled contraptions.

Important Instructions Finally! Instructions about how to use those newfangled contraptions.

Delicate Arch Delicate Arch in Arches National Park

Passing Storm A storm that passed over our Glamping site

Horn Peak Horn Peak from the trail to Comanche Lake in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains

Storms in the Valley Thunderstorms in the valley below (east of) the Sangre de Cristo mountains

Comanche Peak Approaching Comanche Peak

Snow on the Trail Snow on the Comanche Lake trail

Comanche Lake Comanche Lake with Comanche Peak behind it

Snow on the Trail Snow on the Comanche Lake trail

Snowfall The graupel soon became a snowfall - there was no accumulation on the ground

Storms in the Valley Thunderstorms in the valley below (east of) the Sangre de Cristo mountains

Leadville CO Fortunately somebody's there to help if you get into trouble

Zuni Cabin Our cabin - Zuni Cabin; one of Buckeye's Cabins on Highway 91 outside Leadville

Houses in Leadville Houses in Leadville, CO

Mount Massive Mount Massive above the streets of Leadville

Efficient Transportation A highly customized ride

Old Ski Binding Old Salomon 555 bindings like I used when I was in high school

Tabor Opera House The stage at the Tabor Opera House

Tabor Opera House The electrical panel to control the lights at the Tabor Opera House

Tabor Opera House Box seats at the Tabor Opera House

Tabor Opera House A poster at the Tabor Opera House

Antique Washing Machine An antique Maytag washing machine

Tabor Opera House The Tabor Opera House

Bearproof Trash Encosure A homemade bearproof trash enclosure at Buckeye's cabins

Our Cabin at Trappers Lake Lodge Our cabin at Trappers Lake Lodge (cabin 14)

Trappers Lake below the Marvine Flattops. The Wall Lake trail is in the cirque to the right of the prominant "amphitheater" in the center; Wall lake is at the head of the valley to the left of the "amphitheater"

Trappers Lake Trappers Lake below the Marvine Flattops. The Wall Lake trail is in the cirque to the right of the prominant "amphitheater" in the center; Wall lake is at the head of the valley to the left of the "amphitheater"

Marvine Flattops The cliffs below the Marvine Flattops SSW from our cabin at Trappers Lake Lodge

Hiking up the Wall Lake trail through the damage from the 2002 fire. The snowcovered ascent to the flattops is visible at the end of the cirque

Hiking through the Burn Hiking up the Wall Lake trail through the damage from the 2002 fire. The snowcovered ascent to the flattops is visible at the end of the cirque

Anderson Lake The cliffs below the Marvine Flattops above Anderson Lake

Trappers Lake Trappers Lake and damage from the 2002 fire from the Wall Lake trail

The Cirque The cirque on the Wall Lake trail. The snow-filled trail can be seen crossing a bare patch near the center of the photo

Trappers Lake and the Marvine Flattops Trappers Lake and the flattops viewed from high on the Wall Lake trail

As the trail began to traverse the steep slope at the end of the cirque, the snow became too steep and dangerous to traverse. without ice axes

End of the Hike As the trail began to traverse the steep slope at the end of the cirque, the snow became too steep and dangerous to traverse. without ice axes