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CO 17 and US 285
37 Slides: CO 17 10th longest strait road in the world at 48 miles; parallel US 285 known as the
Gunbarrel for its strait (speeding) section between Saguache and Monte Vista, 36 miles
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Poncha Pass
From US 285, northward extension of CO 17 (note the redundancy in the sign Rio and River)
Sep 11 2017 - 11:48 am
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San Luis Creek
Headwaters of San Luis Creek from Poncha Pass; (the creek flows in a closed basin to San Luis Lake)
Sep 11 2017 - 11:38 am
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Mt. Shavano
Mt. Shavano (14,229') of the Sawatch Range looking north from US 285
Nov 05 2020 - 5:41 pm
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Sangre de Cristo Range
Northern Sangre de Cristo Range looking north from US 285
Nov 05 2020 - 5:35 pm
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San Luis Valley
Easternmost surface flow of the San Juan Mountains
Nov 05 2020 - 5:32 pm
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CO 17
Leaving US 285 left on CO 17
Nov 12 2121 - 2:22 pm
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Sangre de Cristos
Northern Sangre de Chisto Range in the late afternoon sun looking south from CO 17
Nov 13 2121 - 5:18 pm
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Crestone Group
Crestone Group of five 14ers: Crestone Peak (14,294'), Crestone Needle (14,197'), Kit Carson Mountain (14,165'), Challenger Point (14,081'), and Humboldt Peak (14,064')
Nov 12 2121 - 2:45 pm
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Telephoto
Closer
Nov 12 2121 - 2:41 pm
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Telephoto
Even closer: Kit Carson Mountain (left) and Crestone Peak (right)
Nov 12 2121 - 2:41 pm
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Stait CO 17
CO 17 straight as an arrow for 48 miles
Nov 12 2121 - 2:38 pm
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Blanca Peak Group
Blanca Peak Group cradling Great Sand Dunes National Park (left)
Nov 12 2121 - 2:45 pm
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Blanca Peak Group
Blanca Peak Group of four 14ers: Blanca Peak (14,351'), Ellingwood Point (14,048'), Mt. Lindsey (14,048') and Little Bear Peak (14,037')
Nov 12 2121 - 2:45 pm
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US 285
Blanca Peak Group from just south of Alamosa (CO 17 joins US 285 from Alamosa south 29 miles to Antonito)
Nov 12 2121 - 3:06 pm
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Northern Sangres
Colorado Sangre de Cristo Range from Culebra Range to Poncha Pass with San Juan Mountain volcanics creeping into San Luis Valley (left)
Nov 12 2121 - 2:54 pm
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Solar Farm
Solar farm facing southwest
Nov 12 2121 - 3:07 pm
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Culebra Range
Culebra Range of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains
Nov 12 2121 - 3:16 pm
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Culebra Peak
Culebra Peak (14,053') southernmost 14er, 10th of the Sangres
Nov 12 2121 - 3:16 pm
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Culebra Peak
Culebra Peak over irrigated hay field
Nov 12 2121 - 3:47 pm
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San Juan Mountains
San Juan Mountain Lava Flowing into San Luis Valley south of Alamosa
Nov 12 2121 - 3:51 pm
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Shield Volcano
San Antonio Mountain (10,908') a basalt shield volcano in New Mexico
Nov 12 2121 - 4:20 pm
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Blanca Peak
Telephoto of Blanca Peak
Nov 12 2121 - 3:56 pm
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Basalt
Basalt capped mesas at the north end of a basalt field that extends into New Mexico along the Rio Grande Rift
Nov 12 2121 - 3:56 pm
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San Luis Valley Hay
San Luis Valley hay field in front of the San Juan Mountains
Nov 12 2121 - 4:06 pm
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La Jara, CO
La Jara, CO
Nov 12 2121 - 5:58 pm
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Antonito, CO
Antonito, CO
Nov 12 2121 - 5:39 pm
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Cinder Cone
Basalt capped cinder cone
Nov 12 2121 - 4:21 pm
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San Juan Mountains
Entering the San Juan Mountains
Nov 12 2121 - 4:42 pm
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Tuff
Densely welded ash cliffs separated by forested ash fall layers
Nov 12 2121 - 4:44 pm
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Conejos Valley
Conejos Valley
Nov 12 2121 - 5:07 pm
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Conejos River
Conejos River
Nov 12 2121 - 5:24 pm
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Aspen Without Leaves
Aspen without leaves contrasts with the forest green
Nov 12 2121 - 4:52 pm
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Conejos River Headwaters
Conejos River headwaters (next slide is a barely legible sign at left)
Nov 12 2121 - 4:58 pm
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Road Sign
Road Sign
Nov 12 2121 - 4:59 pm
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La Manga Pass
La Manga Pass (turn around point, 11 miles from the Colorado border with New Mexico)
Nov 12 2121 - 5:01 pm
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Sunset In The East
In time to catch the sunset in the east
Nov 12 2121 - 5:52 pm