On the east side of the Colorado Plateau are the San Juan Mountains.

This is a rest stop at Lizard Head Pass, on the road to Telluride.

Telluride's main street is about 9,000 feet above sea level. We checked into the original hotel in town, the New Sheridan, and then headed out to do some hiking.

The trail up Bear Canyon leaves from the center of town, just a few blocks from the hotel

After hiking the hot canyons, I was happy to be in the Rockies again.

The trail was steep and beautiful. We stopped frequently for pictures. Nadia pretended not to notice that I was really just stopping to gasp and try to breathe in what little air remained at that elevation.

We stopped for lunch at this old minesite.

Bear Creek.

This was all manna to the desert-dweller's heart.

August is a good time of year for mountain wildflowers. This is Monkshood, Aconitum columbianum.

Looking north across the San Miguel Valley, where the town of Telluride is situated.

So, that was our summer vacation. A week spent hiking in the Grand Canyon and in the canyons and mountains that surround it.

We'd promised ourselves that we'd return to the Grand Canyon soon, and the next month we went back for a rim-to-river and return hike.

Grand Canyon redux

Table of Contents for the Colorado Plateau series.