Mountain Photography

by Jack Brauer

Trip Reports: Ouray/Uncompahgre Loop, Colorado - August 2010

This last weekend we repeated one of my favorite backpacking routes - a loop hike starting from the Bear Creek trailhead near Ouray, up through the rolling tundra of the Uncompahgre Wilderness, then back down into the town of Ouray via the Bridge of Heaven.

Hiking along one of the "fun" sections of the Bear Creek Trail, which starts from Red Mountain Pass just above the town of Ouray, Colorado.  Photo © by Jack Brauer.

Sunset light on a remote peak in the the vast alpine tundra of the Uncompahgre Wilderness (formerly known as the Big Blue Wilderness) of the San Juans. Photo © by Jack Brauer.
Fine Prints available.

A brilliant sunset beams through the Uncompahgre River valley.  The town of Ridgway is located below the sunset; Ouray would be down in the valley to the left.  As seen from along the Horsethief Trail, August. Photo © by Jack Brauer.
Fine Prints available.

A momentary stripe of sunrise alpenglow beams through the stormy clouds, illuminating Potosi Peak and the Sneffels Range. Photo © by Jack Brauer.
Fine Prints available.

Rain on its way towards the Bridge of Heaven, high above Ouray, Colorado.  Photo © by Jack Brauer.
Fine Prints available.

A bowl full of delicious wild raspberries.  I've never seen so many wild raspberries as we saw along the seldom-used Old Horsethief Trail out of Ouray.  We dropped our backpacks and picked and ate raspberries for several hours before continuing on our way... and have been enjoying them for several days afterwards as well! Photo © by Jack Brauer.

See photos from the first time I hiked the Ouray - Uncompahgre Loop here.