Black Canyon of the Gunnison Area

Curecanti National Recreation Area is

right off Highway 50, named for the Ute chief Curicata. 

We found another great camping area right 

in the center of this photo. This is looking east. 

Here is the view from our front door looking west

 in Elk Creek Campground.

Life is good!

We found it interesting that the Blue Mesa Dam

is an earthen dam, not cement, for this large of 

an area.

We were here many years ago but didn't take the time to go 

to the north rim. A beautiful drive and the last seven miles 

is all gravel. Less than one mile from the Ranger Station

Scott saw a Black Bear only fifty yards from the road!! 

I couldn't get my camera out fast enough to take a picture. 

It was blonde about six feet tall. 

It stopped and looked right at us, then turned around to go back 

up the hill, stopped, looked at us again, and then was gone. 

Wow! What a great opportunity! 

We reported it to the ranger and went on our hike.

Duane & Sue were the winners of Guess Where This Is 

photo from the last blog!

 Black Canyon of the Gunnison 

We hiked to Exclamation Point!

It is a only 1 1/2 miles but we were constantly aware 

of the bear that was less than one mile away.  

This was our view as we ate our lunch. 

Then I looked over my should and said, 

"We need to get out of here!"

We stopped to get our ponchos on and got a little confused 

which trail to take, so we had to backtrack and find the sign again.

Confident we were going the right way, we hurried with

rain, thunder, and lightening overhead.

 That was the fastest 1 1/2 miles we have done in a while! 

At 7,700 ft in elevation, storms like that are scary!

This is Kneeling Camel Lookout. Can you see it on the left?

Another day we hiked to Dillion Pinnacles.

Did you notice the clouds in the last picture? Almost every
afternoon there was rain, then the steam rises and blankets
the mountains. Beautiful!

Here is the next Guess Where This Is photo.