Headwaters of the San Juan

Last week we headed east to the San Juans and camped for a few days. It was cold enough that Alina and the boys were wearing their winter coats at night, which is just what we wanted this time of year.

We camped up South Mineral Fork near Silverton and hiked around the area on the Rico-Silverton Trail and into Lower Ice Lake Basin. The wildlfowers were unbelievable in variety and color.

The area is the very headwaters of the San Juan River that we floated in May. I like following rivers to their sources and seeing where all the water comes from that forms the rivers that cut the great canyons.

After hiking for a few days we stopped in Ouray for a soak in the hotsprings until lightning forced everybody out of the pool and we headed back to the desert.

Lower Ice Lake Basin Paradise

Waterfalls draining down into Lower Ice Lake Basin

More water falling down and joining other small streams and then bigger streams until finally they all come together and form the mighty San Juan

Where all the water from the mountains ends up (at least the part that does not get used to irrigate crops upstream)

Descending in the rain from Ice Lake Basin