day59

Day 59 (October 18, 2006) - Black Canyon of the Gunnison

My husband was my hero last night. We made it eventually, and all thanks to him and his careful driving. Slowly but surely we crossed Vail Pass and got into Avon, 9 miles beyond Vail on I-70. We ran into WalMart to buy snow chains, in case the conditions worsen tomorrow. Revisiting our itinerary, we decide to stick to the original plan and drive Route 24 down through Leadville to Gunnison. The roads should be dry down there. We only have one pass to cross, and it looks open. 60 miles of up and down, on a road that is fairly clean, cleaner than we would have imagined given the day before. Tennessee Pass sits at over 10,000ft and after that is a downhill to Leadville. When we get to the junction with 50, we realize there is another pass to climb: Monarch Pass, 11300ft. After that the downhill to Gunnison is quite scenic and refreshing, with the sun making an occasional appearance to color everything around Colorado-style. I start thinking, if you are from here, why would you want to go anywhere else? From the little we have seen, this place sounds like a lot of fun for outdoorsy folks, it's a giant playground and a place you can explore an entire lifetime and still find undiscovered corners pretty much anywhere.

We cross the Curecanti National Recreation Area through an impressive albeit small canyon and the Blue Mesa lake opens up with amazing vistas. It's dotted with campgrounds and marinas. To my delight for the first time since I am in the US I come across a windsurfing paradise, and judging from the gusts of winds, it looks very very promising. I've got to try this in the summer, if I still remember how to windsurf!

We approach the Black Canyon of the Gunnison from the South Rim, and before we even stop at the visitor center the first of 11 overlooks gives us a preview of what's ahead of us. It's dizzying, eerie and spectacular. It's dark, steep and narrow, with walls dropping over 2,000ft into the river below. You barely hear its rumble. Down below, its noise is comparable to a turbo jet airplane. The overlooks extend OVER the chasm sometimes and they truly evoke a sense of awe and vertigo. Many of them are reacheable through short hikes. But I have a better idea and after consulting with a reluctant husband, I decide to bike it. The pavement is smooth and dry, although there is snow all around. The road goes up and down mildly but man! at 10,000ft of altitude even a mild climb feels like Mt. Everest. I am short of breath and at every breath I take I feel like I have asthma. I make it to the end of the rim just before Petr (I skipped a longer hike because of my bike shoes), and pack it all back in the RV. We are spending the night in Montrose, CO. It will be the coldest night so far, and hopefully of the entire trip!