Wed June 22: CORKSCREW, OURAY, YANKEE BOY

Headed out this morning thru Gladstone (where there is active gold mining going on) and onto Corkscrew.  Still lots of snow; slippery in a few areas, but not too bad.  Came out onto US550 at Irontown & stopped to see the monuments on the highway.  Of course, lunch in Ouray at the Mexican restaurant (they should start giving us a discount).  Then, on the way home, we detoured to Yankee Boy Basin.  The snow is starting to melt in some areas and the waterfalls are really running.  We were not able to get all the way through on Yankee Boy due to those snowdrifts blocking the trail. 

Colorado Gold Mining Company:

 Entering Corkscrew:

 Looking out & down the passenger side window at the river:

 Looking over at Hurricane/California.  Can't even get onto the trail this year; snowdrifts as far as you can see:

 Blind curve going up Corkscrew:

 A marmot:

 Frozen lake at the top of Corkscrew:

 Female grouse:

 The male grouse who was very agitated at our presence:

 Snow melt across trail:

 Momuments on US 550 (double click pix to enlarge & use back arrows in tool bar to return to blog):

 Back out on main Hwy 550 (hate it when we meet big rigs):

 Entering Yankee Boy:

 Looking thru the top of Jeep:

 The famous rock overhang on the ledge road:

 Headed back down thru the rock overhang:

 This woman just may be CRAZY!  Forget that she is riding a bicycle with hugh climbs; she is riding it on the ledge (where the road is erroding in many spots).  No clue what she did when a semi or RV had to pass her.