The Trail:

This trail has great views and is fairly easy to traverse. The only difficult portion of the trail is a mile long one way narrow shelf road that has sharp switchbacks that heads down into Telluride.

Rating:

1.0 - 3.0 (4 Low is needed to traverse the steep switchbacks)

Runs:

Date: 7/8/2010

Suspension: TeraFlex 2.5" Spring Lift, BFG 35x12.50x17

Photos:

Looks like a nice day:

Airing down:

Heading up hill:

Still heading up:

Heading higher:

Some waterfalls in the distance:

A closer view of one of the falls...

...and the other:

Looking back:

Moving higher and looking back:

Stopping for some pictures:

Some flowers:

Some more:

And more:

The scenery:

Continuing up - above the tree line:

Still heading up - looks like someone thought better of finishing the trail and turned around:

Still heading up:

Heading up to an optional obstacle:

Heading up and over the small waterfall:

Our turn:

Closing in:

Heading up:

Next stop at the pass...

...Black Bear Pass that is:

Looking back:

Some of the scenery ahead:

More scenery:

More scenery:

Looks pretty desolate up here, but...

...some flowers - not quite open yet:

More flowers:

More flowers:

More flowers:

Even an animal:

Heading down:

Continuing down:

Still heading down in the middle of the crater:

Still heading down in the middle of the crater:

Heading down back on the side of the crater:

Another resident (a Marmot?) watching us go by:

Continuing down:

A nice shot along the road:

Our first view of Telluride out in the distance in the valley:

Some old mining structures in the hills:

A small creek:

Starting to see some groupings of flowers:

Getting closer to the drop down to Telluride:

More flowers along the trail:

More:

More:

Lots of flowers here:

The fields of flowers are gone, and we're getting closer to the drop:

The water that is running to the falls that we will pass:

One last flower:

Stopping at the point of no return (one way, down only)...

...to check the trail ahead:

Here's a view from Imogene Pass Trail. We're stopped above the waterfall on the left. We'll come down on the side of the waterfall, drive under it, follow the switchbacks to the power plant on the right, then follow the switchbacks down to Telluride:

Heading to the edge:

Waiting for our turn:

You can see the water for the waterfall on the left:

Heading around the edge:

Our turn:

Looking over toward the near water flow, some mining structures, and the power plant in the distance:

Rounding the turn with Telluride in the distance:

After the turn Brian hitched a ride down:

At the first switchback before the falls with the power plant down to the lower right:

Made it to the falls:

Getting ready to continue on:

A view of the canyon and Telluride from the Jeep on the trail:

The road is pretty narrow, but fortunately this part of the trail is one way only. You can see the power plant in the lower center:

Looking down from the edge of the Jeep you can see the power plant and many of the switchbacks. Not a lot of shoulder in this part of the trail:

Another point where you can see the switchbacks almost look like they are stacked on top of one another:

This first turn was pretty tight and couldn't be made without a three point turn:

Brian helped to make sure we made the turn and didn't drive off the edge:

Another view as we continue to head down:

Another switchback:

Getting closer to the power plant:

Another switchback and the power plant to the right:

As we were getting closer to the power plant it started to rain:

Almost at the same level as the power plant now:

A nice shot of it perched on the cliff:

Some vehicles parked down the trail near the bottom of the power plant falls. That portion of the trail is open to cars and two way traffic:

We parked the Jeeps and hiked over to the power plant. If you can read it, here's a little info on the plant:

A view from behind the power plant. You can see one of the generators. BTW - they don't welcome visitors at the power plant:

Some of the horizontal power plant property:

Walking up the trail away from the power plant and looking back:

Some old equipment upstream from the power plant:

A waterfall that is also upstream:

Looking back at the power plant - sure looks like a sheer drop off:

Heading back to the Jeep - got a picture of more flowers:

Back on the road, which is now a two way road for all vehicles, and below the power plant:

At the switchback just below the power plant:

Below the power plant falls looking up:

Date: 7/29/2011

Suspension: TeraFlex 2.5" Spring Lift, BFG 35x12.50x17

Photos:

Airing down at the start of the trail:

There's time for a shot:

Heading out, one of many waterfalls:

Another waterfall:

Another one:

Another one:

Stopped at a scenic ovberlook:

Some of the flowers in the area:

Back on the trail and getting closer to the pass we saw a horse and tent...

...and over the hill we saw a lot of sheep...

...and the sheep dog (white spot left/center):

Heading to the pass:

Looking back over the area where the sheep are grazing (you can see the tent center/left):

Up at the pass looking back from where we came...

...and looking forward to where we will be going:

Heading down, they are working on the road down past the power plant:

Some water and snow up here:

A view looking down toward where the trail drops off and heads to the power plant and Telluride:

Flower growing in the rocks:

I think we saw this guy last year:

Our first view of Telluride. We'll eat lunch there later today:

Moving along, we spotted an old mine:

Getting closer to the edge:

Near the edge the water runs fast and there is still mining artifacts all around:

Stopped just before coming to the turn:

Brian heading down. At the lower left you can see the road after it switches back to the left:

Our turn, looking at Telluride and the edge of the road:

Heading to the first switchback:

You can see the road we came down on the left. We'll stop by the waterfall to explore a little:

It's a little wet up there:

Walking down along the waterfall:

An edge of the waterfall and a view of the power plant in the distance:

Time to check out the old mining ruins:

This old stamp mill looks interesting:

I wonder if there's any gold crushed in there:

Back on the trail and getting closer to the power plant:

Past all of the fun switchbacks and below the power plant now:

Now far below the power plant:

Some of the plant life at the bottom of the falls:

Lots of debris in the rocks, and maybe...

...some gold:

There were some nice flowers:

Another:

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Last modified: November 13, 2011 05:55:40 PM