AROUND PAGOSA SPRINGS, being chased by summer monsoons

We were dragging our feet as we made our way east.  True, we were still in Colorado, but east meant putting more mountains behind us rather than ahead .  .  .  east meant that much closer to Indiana.  Sooner or later we knew we’d have to bite the bullet and leave this state, but we weren’t at the end of our itinerary yet.  We decided to anticipate what was to come rather than regret what was being left behind. And there was a stop or two ahead that was getting my blood flowing.  Starting with some more great mountain scenery and a pretty little town known for its healing waters.

Pagosa, a Ute word meaning “healing waters”, gets its name from the hot mineral springs that were long coveted by the Indians.  Today, the town uses that geothermal water to heat many of its buildings.  In recent years a local entrepreneur has built a cluster of surrealistic-looking steaming pools at the river’s edge, finally taking full advantage of this natural occurrence for purely recreational purposes.  It seems to be a popular draw, with people congregating there everyday, despite some rather cool and cloudy days.

Photo courtesy of Pagosa Chamber of Commerce

The San Juan River crashes down from the Continental Divide to the northeast, making its way through Pagosa Springs and then down to the Navajo Reservoir on the New Mexico border.  A city park right in the town center features a pleasant riverwalk.  The strongest plus of Pagosa Springs, sandwiched between the San Juan mountains and the great Weminuche Wilderness Area, has to be its exceptional mountain views and easy backcountry access.  Prized fishing waters might have caught our attention too.

We had plans to hang around here for a few days of exploring. Unfortunately, Mother Nature put some crimps into those plans.

We were camping just west of town near the San Juan National Forest boundary, where high peaks to the north caught our attention (and pulled me in their direction, of course).  Passing right by our campground, the Piedra Road soon turns to a graded dirt road and heads to interesting places.  Giving access to the Weminuche Wilderness, it leads to popular trailheads, promising trout waters, the mountain-ringed Williams Creek Reservoir and a handful of great forest service campgrounds.  It is an ideal scenic drive along the entire stretch with outstanding photo ops almost around every curve.  It was no wonder I headed out and up the road shortly after setting up camp.

Soon after the start of the drive, one outstanding peak comes into view, lording over the valley.  Whoa!  I’m sure to have gasped, now that’s one breathtaking sight!  Being not yet familiar with the neighborhood, I would later learn I was looking at 12,600’ Pagosa Peak.

See the somewhat foreboding clouds above that peak?  Experience had taught me what they foreshadowed.  Although I continued ahead on that drive, I learned there was no escaping.  Aaargh!! With so much photographic potential ahead .  .  .  talk about being sorely disappointed!!!  With all hope gone, I gave up the ghost, turned tail and retreated.  By now I had learned to face the reality of those summer monsoons in the mountains.  BUT EVERYDAY???  REALLY???

When you see this coming your way, you learn to turn around or take cover!

The mountains would have to wait for another day.

Another draw to this Pagosa Springs area that warrants a stay is Chimney Rocks National Monument.  A little less than 20 miles from downtown Pagosa Springs, the monument’s namesake is easily seen when driving along the highway.  Rising with the roosters the following day (the better to beat those afternoon storms), we made sure to get an early start taking in this historic site.

Ever heard of the Ancestral Puebloans of Chaco Canyon?  Whether or not, this archaeo-logical site is sure to impress.  Thought to be an isolated outlier of the Chacoan Culture that thrived more than 1,000 years ago, Chimney Rock covers 4,100 acres and preserves 200 ancient ridge houses, guard sites, pit dwellings and ceremonial buildings.

At the base of the mesa are the ruins of the Great Kiva, a large, circular semi-subterranean chamber used for ritualistic and secular activities.Perhaps used as a celestial observatory for these ancient peoples, you can only reach the mesa top as part of a guided ranger tour along a 200-foot elevation gain rocky trail.  Really worth the effort, you’ll have awe-inspiring views of the San Juan Mountain Range and the twin spires.  The ruins of the Great House , several multi-family dwellings and countless unexcavated structures are there for exploring.  It’s a thought-provoking place, as you try to comprehend what went in to constructing this place so many centuries ago.

As expected (but definitely not desired), the afternoon turned cloudy.  Too risky for a hike and too overcast for pictures, what other alternative but to find some falling water (yep, we were still in waterfall country).  Of course, I was at the ready with a list of a few select ones! (PHOTO ALERT:  First came the overload of wildflower pictures, now prepare for the waterfall ones!).

The road in to Silver Falls gets rather rough and rocky, but the scenery along the cascading East Fork River is surely worth it.  And a jewel of a waterfall is waiting like a reward after driving a few (maybe seemingly unending) short miles.  Best of all, the trail leading up to the fall’s base is easy and less than a mile long.

But to get the shot I wanted required considerably more effort.  While Chris found a rocky perch at trail’s end where he would read on his iPhone, I scaled over rocks and precarious ledges to attain the perspective I wanted.  When it comes to waterfall photos, no effort is considered too much for me to handle!

The view from below is a whole different look.

With the time remaining and after returning from that backroads drive, we only had daylight remaining to bag one last waterfall.  I made sure it was a good one.

You must drive nearly to the top of 11,000-foot Wolf Creek Pass.  Having almost an 8% grade, the road is twisty and curvy.  But it’s paved and extremely picturesque, so the drive was part of the reward.  No dirt track leading to this beauty, and the trail to its base is a well-worn ¼-mile dirt path.  Very civilized.  Except for the continually switchbacking, 300-foot elevation gain, that is.  But you will have a VERY up-close and personal view at the base of these falls, albeit a breezy, spray-in-your-face one.  In the end, from a photographic point of view at least, the perspective from the observation deck near the parking lot gives a fuller, more complete and straight-on view, to say nothing about being a bit drier.

Spilling 105-feet from the western base of Wolf Creek Pass, Treasure Falls thunders into Falls Creek which will soon flow into the San Juan River.  Framed with the tallest of pines growing from that same mountain slope, the foliage helps to soften the granite-framed falls and the greens help to warm the scene of bare rocks and cold clear water.  My money is on that view.

Its name comes from accounts suggesting that a chest full of gold was buried in the area after a group of Frenchmen was captured by either Spaniards or Indians.  While there have been some searches made by all sorts of treasure seekers, there has been no rumors of gold discovered (at least none have been recorded).

Our short stay here in the area FINALLY resulted in one clear evening.  More than eager to make every potentially perfect minute count, once more I drove up that same Piedra Road.  I was determined to capture that impressive mountain in the best possible sunset light.  And sometimes .  .  .  good things do come to those who wait.

Occasionally there can be an encore when you might least be expecting it.  As I was returning to camp after that successful shoot, the darkness was almost complete.  I was just coming over a rise in the road when suddenly I was struck head-on by a glorious sight!  The biggest, brightest full moon of this trip was just breaking over the horizon!  OMGosh—what a sight!  It was a scene I knew I HAD to capture!  At nearly breakneck speed while nervously shaking, I desperately searched for some acceptable foreground to complete it (not an easy task when you’re the driver and the landscape is all but blacked out)!  What’s more, that darn moon was rising higher with each passing moment and soon would be above the trees—too high in the composition.  Conserving time was more important than the best location, so I stopped in my tracks and jumped out.  This spot (whatever it was) would have to do!

Considering the circumstances and the flying-by-the-seat-of-my-pants, I can’t say that the shot came out badly.  Kismet sometimes has its rewards.

Next day we were streamin’ on.  Under those ubiquitous overcast skies, we passed over Wolf Creek Pass and beyond.  The devastation of pine beetle kill sure puts a pall over an otherwise wonderful view.

Airstream Travelers,

Melinda & Chris

on the road crossing the wide San Luis Valley.