Mt. Sneffels - A 14er Near Ouray (Hike On August 20, 2007)
Jay Wilson and I hiked to the summit of Mt. Sneffels, which I think is the closest 14er to Ouray.
We camped inside the canyon leading to Yankee Boy Basin at the Atlas Mill Campground, and we began our hike at the trailhead at approximately 6:15 a.m.
The common route to Mt. Sneffels begins uphill in earnest via this rock-filled gully.
At one point as we continued up the gully, I turned back to capture Jay. The large peak out there is Gilpin Peak.
To reach the summit, we continued up another gully that was much more narrow. It felt like I was on another planet with all the stunning mountain views and unusual rock formations.
Jay climbs the final few steps to reach the summit.
That's me at the summit. The views atop Mt. Sneffels were so amazing! I kept giggling
in awe and saying to myself, "The views up here are ridiculous!" ;)
Looking back down toward Yankee Boy Basin.
A beautiful photo that shows the ruggedness of these San Juan Mountains.
From the summit, this is the view of the Sneffels range to the east.
We arrived back at the trailhead at approximately Noon. Look at how beautiful and clear the sky was!
As we returned back to camp, I put my digital camera outside the driver side window and snapped this shot of Potosi Peak. It was a very beautiful day!
