US 50 (W to E)

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79 Slides
Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre Plateau, Gunnison River, Sawatch Range, Arkansas River, Royal Gorge, Wet Mountains, Dinosaur Tracks

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West end of US 50
from Grand Junction west US 50 parallels I-70 from the west Colorado border to Denver and beyond

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US 50 is the loneliest road in America through Nevada; here it is the main thoroughfare between Montrose and Grand Junction
Nov 24 2020 - 7:18 am

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Grand Mesa to the left featureless Uncompahgre Plateau on the right for 100 miles
May 29 2020 - 11:46 am

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Finally a curve in the road
May 29 2020 - 11:51 am

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San Juan Mountains 100 miles dead ahead (this is an exceptionally clear day)
Dec 07 2020 - 12:54 pm

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West Elk Mountains 25 to 50 miles to the north
Dec 07 2020 - 1:03 pm

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Thunderheads building over the West Elk Mountains, midground Black Canyon Uplift (turn left at Montrose)
Jul 21 2018 - 11:09 am

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Uncompahgre Peak (14,309') behind Cimarron Ridge
Dec 07 2020 - 1:48 pm

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The San Juan Mountains from Uncompahgre Peak (14,309', left), past Mt. Sneffles (14,150' right), to Mt. Wilson (14,246' far right)
Dec 07 2020 - 1:49 pm

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North on CO 349 to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (south rim)

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San Juan Mountains from CO 349
Nov 14 2021 - 4:08 pm

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Telephoto of San Juan Mountains centered around Mt. Sneffels (14,150')
Nov 14 2021 - 4:08 pm

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CO 349 follows dip slope of Dakota Sandstone (shown in road cut) to the Black Canyon National Park
Nov 14 2021 - 5:35 pm

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Nov 14 2021 - 4:17 pm

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History of Black Canyon
Nov 14 2021 - 4:31 pm

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Black Canyon
Nov 14 2021 - 4:38 pm

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Gunnison Point Overlook
Nov 14 2021 - 4:30 pm

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Well marked overlooks (yards to the overlook posted)
Nov 14 2021 - 4:40 pm

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First view of the Painted Wall
Nov 14 2021 - 4:31 pm

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Painted Wall
Nov 14 2021 - 4:48 pm

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Plants live on the Painted Wall
Nov 14 2021 - 5:10 pm

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Gneiss rock type (close up and on the far side of the canyon)
Nov 14 2021 - 4:48 pm

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Landsend Peak (10,806', center) and Coal Mountain (11,705', right) of the West Elk Mountains
Nov 14 2021 - 4:46 pm

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Gibbous moonrise over Black Canyon
Nov 14 2021 - 4:50 pm

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Gunnison River deep in the canyon
Nov 14 2021 - 5:11pm

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Road to north rim of the Black Canyon through Grizzly Gulch (Landsend Peak Coal Mountain, and Mt. Gunnison (12,719') in background)
Nov 14 2021 - 5:20 pm

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Back to US 50 (Horsefly Peak high point on Uncompahgre Plateau over irrigated Uncompahgre Valley)
Nov 14 2021 - 5:42 pm

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US 50 east to Gunnison

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Up Cedar Creek to Cerro Summit
Dec 07 2020

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Looking west at the Uncompahgre Plateau
Dec 07 2020 - 1:03 pm

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Cerro Summit
Dec 07 2020 - 2:01 pm

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Down east side of Cerro Summit (Black Canyon Uplift)
Dec 07 2020 - 2:05 pm

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Cimarron River Valley
Dec 07 2020 - 2:13 pm

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Wide angle
Nov 14 2021 - 3:22 pm

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Telephoto of terraces along the Cimarron River
Nov 14 2021 - 3:29 pm

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Black Canyon Uplift
Nov 14 2021 - 3:23 pm

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Cimarron Ridge from the east
Dec 07 2020 - 2:15 pm

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Blue Mesa Summit
Nov 24 2020 - 8:05 am

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Entering Big Blue Creek Canyon through Black Canyon Uplift
Nov 24 2020 - 8:43 am

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Two weeks later
US 50 was closed during the week, open weekends for six month in the winter of 2021 due to road construction through the canyon
Dec 07 2020 - 2:23 pm

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Volcanics rocks from West Elk Mountains
Nov 14 2021 - 3:23pm

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Blue Mesa Reservoir
Dec 07 2020 - 2:31 pm

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Sapinero, CO (all five fourteeners of the Elk Range in background)
Dec 07 2020 - 2:31 pm

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Downstream of Blue Mesa Dam the Black Canyon begins
Dec 07 2020 - 2:35 pm

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Low Reservoir waiting for the spring snow melt to fill
Dec 07 2020 - 2:43 pm

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As in June
Jun 27 2017 - 6:39 pm

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Reflection of flat ash flows from 30 million-year old volcanoes to the north and south
Dec 07 2020 - 2:48 pm

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Weathered Mesozoic rocks baked from overlying lava flows
Dec 07 2020 - 2:50 pm

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Upstream end of Blue Mesa Reservoir in early November
Nov 05 2020 - 12:35 pm

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Two weeks later
Nov 24 2020 - 9:17 am

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US 50 follows Gunnison River from Grand Junction to Gunnison
Dec 07 2020 - 3:04 pm

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US 50 follows Tomichi Creek from Gunnison deep into the Sawatch Range
Dec 07 2020 - 3:28 pm

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Pahlone Peak (12,667') at south end of the Sawatch Range
Dec 07 2020 - 4:04 pm

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Monarch Pass
Jul 21 2018 - 1:50 pm

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Mt. Shavano (14,229') and Tabequache Peak (14,155') from Monarch Pass)
Dec 07 2020 - 4:10 pm

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Mt. Antero (14,269') from Monarch Pass
Dec 07 2020 - 4:10 pm

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Inactive 'Madonna' Lead, Zinc and Silver Mine just east of Monarch Pass)
Jul 21 2018 - 2:07 pm

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Twilight on the southern Mosquito Range
Dec 07 2020 - 4:43 pm

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Sawatch Range in the morning from the Salida East Recreation Site)
Nov 27 2020 - 1:32 pm

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Tabequache Peak (14,155') and Mt. Shavano (14,229') from the east
Nov 27 2020 - 1:32 pm

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Mt. Sherman (14,036') anchoring the south end of the Mosquito Range
Nov 27 2020 - 1:57 pm

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Mt. Princeton (14,197') of the Sawatch Range
Nov 27 2020 - 1:57 pm

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Entering canyon cut by the Arkansas River - hard granite all the way to Cañon City
Nov 06 2020 - 9:34 am

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Arkansas River
Nov 27 2020 - 1:07 pm

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Strange geology
Nov 06 2020 - 9:34 am

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Yellow cracks and matching cactus
May 13 2013 - 6:46 pm

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South Park volcanic rocks beyond granites of the canyon
Nov 06 2020 - 10:08 am

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Three mile long coal-car storage
Nov 06 2020 - 10:10 am

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Twin Sisters (13,012') in the Sangre de Cristo Range over the Arkansas River
Nov 27 2020 - 12:49 pm

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Faulted Paleozoic rocks
Nov 27 2020 - 1:19 pm

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Royal Gorge
May 13 2013 - 6:36 pm

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Wet Mountains beyond Cañon City
May 13 2013 - 7:05 pm

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Your truly
May 13 2013 - 7:10 pm

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Road Sign
May 13 2013 - 7:15 pm

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Dinosaur tracks (depressions in eroded mud)
May 13 2013 - 7:18 pm

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Close up
May 13 2013 - 7:19 pm

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You're wrong, Mr. Columbus! There IS an end of the world
May 13 2013 - 7:24 pm

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East End of US 50 at Ocean City, MD - no thanks, I'll take the loneliest highway
image from Google Images: Ocean City, MD