Hwy 550 - Red Mtn Pass - Million Dollar Hwy

Drove it today with no construction going on but flaggers thru work zones that are one way. Have a great picture (we were stopped) of an orange barrel kinda hanging over to a long way down. On the white line of the outside lane.

It was interesting to note this time here - in more detail due to slow, stopped traffic - just how dangerous this road is. There are many, many places where the white line of the lane on the asphalt is literally the edge of the dropoff; absolutely zero shoulder! And a pretty narrow and winding and graded road.

I should post some of the pix I took the next time someone says no to worry about it...let's see, NO shoulder, straight down and God only knows who coming against you with his half in the middle.

Nope.

That being said - we struck gold. Many sections the trees at their peak and great lighting and beautiful reflections. One of the most beautiful drives we have EVER done; and we have done countless in many places.

Drove Red Mountain the other morning for photos. Got past both construction places before shutdown going out. Beautiful - shot over 200 images.

Coming back I got held up 20 minutes or so at first (smaller) construction area. But was in line for the noon opening at the major one. I was about 8th in line and was there at 11:20am. Bet there were couple hundred vehicles in line. Not sure all of them were allowed thru.

I extended our stay here one day in Ouray so DW and DD can go up with me tomorrow. Closures are only the weekdays.

Let me just say it is interesting - including half of the fall off lane has been removed in spots so you are single lane to the inside. Will be interesting to see what they do there. Have great pictures.

Just back from Telluride.

This trip we have done Black Canyon, Buena Vista and now here at Ouray for a week. Then Moab, Torrey for Capitol Reef, Bryce and back home thru Grand Canyon and Sedona. Back third week in Oct.

Have been to Canyon de Chelly, El Morro, Mesa Verde and Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

Only one we have not been to before was El Morro out of Gallup. Fantastic place to visit.

We are searching for gold (trees) and starting to really see some. LOTS of pictures.

They warn you about bears here at the KOA and probably not a good idea to leave a cooler out. Sign on the door even says they lock the dumpsters at night. Been around a lot here in the west; don't mess with bears.

I did get probably my photo of a lifetime of a bear when we were at the Black Canyon.

Naio - my wish for you is to see all these places. We just keep coming back and back and back. As Ken and others know, we also lived in CO for 8 years in Estes Park; now we visit down this way and don't go back up there.

Boy, both our LaurenBarbara for Wanderings link and my LaurensPix websites will get some additions / changes.

Ken, you take care of that shoulder.

Thanks all ...............

Lauren wrote:
I extended our stay here in Ouray for a day so we will have all day Sat to drive it as a family as such with no time restrictions. Took one day off of Moab but we will have plenty of time there.

Moab! Ouray! Silverton! Man am I jealous. You're hitting all of our favorite local spots and here I sit at home! The temps and forecast for Moab this week has been in the upper 70' and lower 80's. What perfect weather.

A few years ago we did the Alpine loop out of Silverton. Really kwel

For those who mentioned other cool places in the area -- thank you! I have starred them on my google map, and your recommends were not in vain even if the the OP doesn't use them! There are / will be other lurkers like me :).

Have you had any bear encounters at the campground? We had a conversation in Ouray yesterday with a lady who said they are also staying at the KOA and had a bear get into a cooler they had left out. Also had a second bear sighting there. Great photo opportunity-maybe- if you are into wildlife also.;)

We are kinda digressing here but I am the OP so guess I can! :-)

Have done Dunton and it is a ways from here and really did not like it all that much.

Have done Imogene and Ophir.

Have not done Black Bear and did only a portion or Engineer coming out of Lake City.

Have done Lizard Head a few times - once coming up on this trip. Love it and, of course as many of you know, is the route I recommend for RV's in place of Red Mountain. (Geez, I might have to re-think that once they get the construction done. Naaaaaah! :-) )

Did East Dallas Creek yesterday and it was ok.

Will plan on Owl Creek as I do not recall we have ever done it.

Clears up today we might go over to To Hell U Ride.

OK, guys, we are here now as I wanted to take photographs all kinds of places. We have been here several times before. We have driven Ophir in the past but not with a Chebby 3500 long bed SRW 4wd.

Main goal of Red Mountain driving is to shoot photos which means earlier morning and later after light for good results. Which I can do but means I will have to do much of it alone and not with DW and DD. More of an inconvenience for us than a can't do.

Yes, I know many of the alternatives and already we did one yesterday. But I appreciate the input. Thanks.

Ken is right. Never have been real keen on shelf roads but now more so and also the fact we are doing it in the truck - three point turns with a long bed truck are not much fun on those roads! But they have not bothered me nearly as much as DW Barbara and DD Sadie! :-)

There is one we got trapped on for 4 miles of narrow shelf with about 400 or more feet straight down and sections were the road was broken off - oh, they put an orange cone by those; lots of good that will do. And it had rained the night before. Had to fold the mirrors in on the truck due to closeness of inside walls. But I am writing about it!

I extended our stay here in Ouray for a day so we will have all day Sat to drive it as a family as such with no time restrictions. Took one day off of Moab but we will have plenty of time there. We have the best site here at the KOA in Ouray and there is a special so we get the night free! Free is good.

That being said I am leaving at daybreak here to head south out of Ouray for photo shoot up toward Red Mountain area. Plan to come back at the noon break. DW and DD staying here.

As usual - on this road or any other similar, I worry more about the guy who is not used to mountain driving and comes at me taking his half out of the middle. Been there, done that more times than I want to remember....particularly when we lived in Estes Park.

Actually, my main purpose in writing that was to inform people who might be coming thru and did not know about it.

But you are good guys who have responded and I appreciate your thoughts and comments.

twogypsies - I saw the smiley face so not to worry. :-)

(On edit) Thunder and lightning and raining - not Red Mountain this morning! I was born at night, but not LAST night. :-) This weather can make for great pictures but will look for alternatives.

Yes, I knew it wasn't Lauren's thing - just a joke. I hope he took it as such.