Black Bear Switchbacks and Bridal Veil Falls

This is a favorite photo of mine taken from Tomboy Road headed up Imogene Pass. I love this view of the switchbacks of Black Bear Pass and Bridal Veil Falls.

Alta

I still haven't had a chance to get out with my new camera since it was delivered at the beginning of my work week, so I pulled up an older photo of the ghost town of Alta. In the distance stands Lizard Head Peak and Mt. Wilson and Wilson Peak on the right.

SkyWatch Friday

The sky reflected in Ingram Lake along Black Bear Pass, taken last summer. To see more beautiful skies around the world, please visit SkyWatch Friday.

My 300th Post With My New Camera!!

Yes I have posted photos exactly like this one before, but this time it's special since it was the first photo I took with my new camera!! I just got a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900. This camera is tiny and it does so many things that I'm feeling a little intimidated by it. I did think about buying something bigger and more complicated to learn more about photography, but honestly I just needed something I can fit in my pocket when I'm hiking, skiing, and Jeeping.

I don't know how this could possibly already be my 300th post! Where is this year going?

Inside the Sheridan

The Sheridan Opera House is a difficult place to photograph, but I managed to get a couple of photos to give you an idea of what it looks like inside. Two phases of restoration have been completed of the Sheridan and is one of the most used buildings in town for plays, concerts and film festivals.

My World Tuesday: People I Felt Honored to Meet

The people I met during Mountainfilm Festival are people that have done extraordinary things and I was so excited to get a few photos. Above I'm standing with Jim Whittaker, the first American to summit Mt. Everest back in 1963. He was here for the showing of the film Americans on Everest.

Next I was shouting at these two in the street asking them to stop for a photo as we were all on our way to the closing ceremonies and picnic. This is Martin and Borut Strel from the film Big River Man. Martin is the only man that has ever swam the Amazon River.

This last photo is of me with Quang-Tuan Luong, the photographer that has photographed every national park in the U.S. He was here for the festival with Ken Burns who used some of Quang's photos in The National Parks: America's Best Idea, which will be shown on PBS beginning September 27. Pictured behind us are his photos of the Delicate Arch in Arches National Park and the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, two national parks that are very near and dear to me.
For more interesting sights from all over the world, please visit My World Tuesday.

Telluride Mountainfilm Festival

The off-season is officially over in Telluride. The Mountainfilm Festival is held over Memorial Day weekend every year. This is the best description of what Mountainfilm is from the Mountainfilm website:

Currently in its 31st year, the Mountainfilm Festival is a four-day, six-senses experience of art, adventure, culture and the environment. It attracts filmmakers, photographers, conservationists, mountaineers and explorers from around the world. Our audiences also come from around the world to gather in theaters that range from historical to state-of-the-art in the box canyon of Telluride, Colorado and the gondola-linked town of Mountain Village.

Let's just say I've been so busy running from film to film so I can blog for PlumTV.com that I've hardly had time to eat! I'll tell you more about the films that I saw this week.

The Sushi Bar

This sushi bar is located downstairs at Honga’s Lotus Petal. I posted a photo of Honga's back in September. The building used to be a saloon, one of the oldest in town. You may have to click on the photo to be able to see that on the mirror it says, "Roma Bar and Cafe, established 1897, Telluride, Colorado."

Vault Dining

This is the dining table in an old bank vault at La Cocina de Luz, where I should say I've had the best tamales ever! I'm not sure what the story is behind this particular vault. It is true that Butch Cassidy's first bank robbery was in Telluride, but I think that vault is in a different shop.

SkyWatch Friday

What could be better for SkyWatch Friday than the sky and my Jeep? These photos were taken last summer on Oh Point on Engineer Pass.

To see more beautiful skies all over the world, please visit SkyWatch Friday.

Gold King Basin

The temperature has been warm and the snow is melting fast, which makes me anxious to get on the Jeep trails. As much as I enjoy skiing, I love being in my Jeep more. Gold King Basin is accessible off of the road up to Alta Lakes, entrance a short drive from here up highway 145.

Gold King Mine, discovered in 1877 was mined for gold, silver, copper and lead. This is almost 12,000 feet in elevation.

Balloon Festival

The Telluride Balloon Festival is the first weekend in June. This photo was taken last year when the wind was blowing too hard the wrong direction, so they were unable to fly them from town park to the valley floor as planned.

My World Tuesday

My world lately has been driving to Montrose, Colorado for kids' orthodontist appointments and Jeep servicing. Montrose is 65 miles from Telluride and is the nearest city to go to such stores as Wal-Mart and Target, and also has the nearest fast food restaurants. The population is just over 17,000 and is the ideal place to live to experience all seasons with no dangerous weather conditions. Montrose is situated in just the right spot on the Western Slope that they never experience flooding, tornadoes or blizzards. The 65 mile (one-way) drive takes over an hour due to the curvy mountain roads, but I never complain since it's one of the most beautiful drives in the state!

For more beautiful and interesting scenes around the world, please visit My World Tuesday.

Aspen Tree Graffiti

Green

Electric cars like this one are legal to drive in Telluride. I'm not sure if I've mentioned it before, but the speed limit is 15 mph on all of the streets in town.

Telluride Airport Construction

The famous dip in the runway is no more!! The Telluride Regional Airport is getting a new runway and will re-open in November.

SkyWatch Friday: Spring in the San Juan Mountains

To see more beautiful skies all over the world, please visit SkyWatch Friday.

Crossing Over to the Snow

Crossing over to the shady side of the Jud Wiebe trail.

First Aspen Leaves

I saw my first aspen leaves of the year when I hiked Jud Wiebe.

My World Tuesday: Hiking the Jud Wiebe Trail

The Jud Wiebe trail is a local's favorite on the sunny side (north) of town. I saw a few aspen leaves blooming yesterday and also hiked through some snow.

For more beautiful views all over the world, please visit My World Tuesday.

Lower Bear Creek Falls

The lower part of Bear Creek Falls in town park.

Happy Mother's Day!!

I took this when I hiked up to Blue Lake last summer. I just felt like pulling out an older photo that I like. Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms! I plan to spend the day outside with my husband and our three kids.

The Telluride Tipi

SkyWatch Friday

It was a cloudy day when we drove up to Woods Lake on Monday. Tuesday the skies were much the same in my second photo on the river trail at the east end of Telluride. Naturally, the skies cleared and the days have been warmer since then while I've been trapped inside working!

Update on our spring conditions: The bears are awake! Apparently two black bears came down the ski run right next to where I live earlier this week. I'm kind of sad that I missed it.

For more stormy or clear, definitely beautiful skies all over the world, please visit SkyWatch Friday.

Cemetery Entrance

It was kind of a gloomy day when I walked by the Lone Tree Cemetery, but the grass is finally green! One of these days I'll go in and find the oldest marker. The funny thing I noticed is the sign on the upper right says, "No winter sports inside cemetery fence."

Lone Tree Cemetery

Woods Lake

Up at Woods Lake yesterday there were a few signs of spring, but not on the aspen trees!

To see more interesting places, please visit My World Tuesday.

The Skier

The history of Telluride is well represented by the sculptures in the Mountain Village core; the Ute Indian, the miner and of course, the skier.

Ute Indian

The Ute Indians lived in this area in the summertime long before the mining began in the late 1800's. My mother-in-law took this photo in the Mountain Village core when she visited us recently, and I didn't ask her permission to use it. Somehow I don't think she will mind especially since today is her birthday! Happy Birthday Barbara!

Another Library Chandelier

This chandelier is in the Telluride Room at the library. A high ceiling is required for this one!

SkyWatch Friday and Theme Day

I completely forgot to plan for this month's theme day of "Shadows" and didn't realize I would need to combine it with SkyWatch Friday. What a challenge! I selected a photo I liked from last summer when my Jeep was in the shadow of the snow on Black Bear Pass, which is a challenging 4-wheel drive only road that starts on highway 550 between Silverton and Ouray and ends at Telluride's Bridal Veil Falls (one way only). If you are shocked at the tall wall of snow present at the end of July, I should mention that I end up in the snow at least once a month year-round, whether I'm hiking, Jeeping or skiing.

To see more skies all over the world, please visit SkyWatch Friday, and for more City Daily Photo theme day photos, click below.

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